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208386
Tue, 09/20/2011 - 19:04
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https://oananews.org//node/208386
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Noda heads for U.S. to attend U.N. meetings, meet with Obama
TOKYO, Sept. 20 Kyodo -
Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda left for New York on Tuesday to attend U.N. meetings, facing a test of his diplomatic skills as he strives to hold on to power for an extended period to rebuild the country from the worst natural catastrophe in its postwar history.
The four-day stay in the U.S. city will mark the international debut of the 54-year-old prime minister, who assumed office on Sept. 2 following the resignation of his predecessor Naoto Kan amid falling support ratings.
''I will explain our efforts to recover from the Great East Japan Earthquake and I would like to send a message that we will contribute to tackling global challenges,'' Noda told reporters at the prime minister's office before leaving for New York.
Noda, who was previously finance minister, will put most of his efforts into explaining Japan's attempts to speed up reconstruction in areas hit hard by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and bring the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant under control, government officials said.
Noda will also use every opportunity to express Japan's appreciation for the various forms of support offered to it since the catastrophe and promise to provide all necessary information regarding the Fukushima crisis in a bid to improve global nuclear safety, the officials said.
Noda will kick off his diplomatic tour by holding bilateral talks with U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday afternoon, during which he is expected to affirm that the Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of his government's foreign policy and that it should continue to serve as a ''public good'' promoting peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Obama invited Kan to make an official visit to the United States in early September when they met during the Group of Eight summit in France in May.
But due to Kan's resignation, Japan and the United States have still not held a formal summit in Washington since the Democratic Party of Japan, now headed by Noda, swept to power in September 2009.
Against such a backdrop, the officials said Noda, the sixth prime minister in five years, will devote most of his energy to building good relations with Obama during the upcoming meeting, instead of going into the specifics of major bilateral issues, such as what to do regarding the stalled relocation of a U.S. base in Okinawa Prefecture.
Later Wednesday, Noda is scheduled to meet with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak to discuss the latest situation on the Korean Peninsula, among other issues, the officials said.
On Thursday, Noda will make a statement at the United Nations' high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security, which will focus on the lessons Japan has learned from the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power plant, triggered by the March disaster.
At the high-level meeting, Noda is expected to call for wide participation at a meeting on nuclear safety that Japan plans to host with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the second half of next year.
Noda will give a speech on Friday at the 66th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
Among other issues, Noda is likely to explain his government's plan to craft a sizable extra budget to accelerate the rebuilding of the disaster-stricken areas and Japan's export-reliant economy, which has been struggling with the recent sharp appreciation of the yen.
To show Japan's active engagement in global issues, Noda is also expected to mention the government's consideration of the possibility of sending Ground Self-Defense Force members to South Sudan to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations.
2011-09-21 00:00:10
Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda left for New York on Tuesday to attend U.N. meetings, facing a test of his diplomatic skills as he strives to hold on to power for an extended period to rebuild the country from the worst natural catastrophe in its postwar history.
The four-day stay in the U.S. city will mark the international debut of the 54-year-old prime minister, who assumed office on Sept. 2 following the resignation of his predecessor Naoto Kan amid falling support ratings.
''I will explain our efforts to recover from the Great East Japan Earthquake and I would like to send a message that we will contribute to tackling global challenges,'' Noda told reporters at the prime minister's office before leaving for New York.
Noda, who was previously finance minister, will put most of his efforts into explaining Japan's attempts to speed up reconstruction in areas hit hard by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and bring the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant under control, government officials said.
Noda will also use every opportunity to express Japan's appreciation for the various forms of support offered to it since the catastrophe and promise to provide all necessary information regarding the Fukushima crisis in a bid to improve global nuclear safety, the officials said.
Noda will kick off his diplomatic tour by holding bilateral talks with U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday afternoon, during which he is expected to affirm that the Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of his government's foreign policy and that it should continue to serve as a ''public good'' promoting peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Obama invited Kan to make an official visit to the United States in early September when they met during the Group of Eight summit in France in May.
But due to Kan's resignation, Japan and the United States have still not held a formal summit in Washington since the Democratic Party of Japan, now headed by Noda, swept to power in September 2009.
Against such a backdrop, the officials said Noda, the sixth prime minister in five years, will devote most of his energy to building good relations with Obama during the upcoming meeting, instead of going into the specifics of major bilateral issues, such as what to do regarding the stalled relocation of a U.S. base in Okinawa Prefecture.
Later Wednesday, Noda is scheduled to meet with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak to discuss the latest situation on the Korean Peninsula, among other issues, the officials said.
On Thursday, Noda will make a statement at the United Nations' high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security, which will focus on the lessons Japan has learned from the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power plant, triggered by the March disaster.
At the high-level meeting, Noda is expected to call for wide participation at a meeting on nuclear safety that Japan plans to host with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the second half of next year.
Noda will give a speech on Friday at the 66th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
Among other issues, Noda is likely to explain his government's plan to craft a sizable extra budget to accelerate the rebuilding of the disaster-stricken areas and Japan's export-reliant economy, which has been struggling with the recent sharp appreciation of the yen.
To show Japan's active engagement in global issues, Noda is also expected to mention the government's consideration of the possibility of sending Ground Self-Defense Force members to South Sudan to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations.
2011-09-21 00:00:10
