Obama Praises Japanese Partnership
周二，美国总统奥巴马(Barack Obama)在白宫椭圆形办公室欢迎了来访的日本首相麻生太郎(Taro Aso)。麻生太郎此次访美在一定程度上看起来是一张国内政治牌。由于全球经济放缓日本国会陷入僵局以及麻生太郎自己连连犯错，这位被视为美国亲密盟友的日本首相现在的政治实力已大为削弱。麻生太郎此次高调出访白宫，似乎是想通过强调他在国际舞台上依然显赫的地位而给自己的国内形像加分。他也是奥巴马1月份入主白宫以来首位到访的外国领导人。奥巴马在简短讲话中强调美日同盟仍具有重要意义。奥巴马说：正是基于这个原因，麻生太郎成为我上任后首位到访椭圆形办公室的外国政要；这证明了美日牢固的合作伙伴关系，本届政府任内还要推动这层关系更上一层楼。作为回应，坐在奥巴马右手边的麻生太郎用英语回应说美日必须携手并肩作战；放眼世界，唯有美国和日本能拿出足够措施来解决当今严峻而至关重要的全球性问题。美国与日本的合作对奥巴马来说也非常重要，特别是现在一些民主党人士正向他施压，要求他拿出更苛刻的对华贸易政策。奥巴马指出美日同盟是东亚安全的“基石”，而且日本在从气候变化到阿富汗战争等一系列问题上都是美国的“伟大盟友”。未来几年，奥巴马有可能在这两个领域和日本领导人开展尤其紧密的合作。在解决全球气候变化合约中的棘手问题上，日本已成为中国和西方国家间的中间人。为显示对美国领导的阿富汗战争的支持，麻生政府周二宣布为8万名阿富汗警察支付半年的工资。日本还将资助阿富汗建设200所学校和100所医院，并帮助该国培养更多教师。这些钱将出自日本2002年时承诺的20亿美元援阿资金，目前尚有约5亿美元没有动用。眼下，麻生太郎所在自民党(Liberal Democratic Party)正承受着来自反对党日本民主党(Democratic Party of Japan)的重压。过去50年中，自民党在日本政坛的“老大”地位几乎坚不可摧，而今民主党已经国会两院之一获得了多数席位。麻生太郎近来展开了令人眼花缭乱的外交攻势，意在今年晚些时候的国会选举前提升不佳的政府形像。他先是在东京欢迎来访的美国国务卿希拉里(Hillary Clinton)，然后又飞往俄罗斯远东地区的库页岛与俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫(Dmitry Medvedev)会面，试图解决日俄领土争端。John D. McKinnon相关阅读日本首相欲靠外交得分扭转政治颓势 2009-02-24希拉里出访日本 美国做两手准备 2009-02-18希拉里称美日将协同应对全球危机 2009-02-17日本财长酒后失态 麻生再遭打击 2009-02-17
U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to the Oval Office on Tuesday, in a visit that appeared calculated in part for political effect.Mr. Aso, considered a close ally of the U.S., has been weakened politically by the global downturn, parliamentary deadlocks and his occasional gaffes. His high-profile visit to the White House -- the first for a foreign leader since Mr. Obama became president in January -- appeared aimed at giving the struggling prime minister a lift back home by dramatizing his continued significance on the world stage.In brief remarks, Mr. Obama underscored the continuing importance of the alliance between the U.S. and Japan.'It is for that reason that the prime minister is the first foreign dignitary to visit me here in the Oval Office,' Mr. Obama said. 'I think it's a testimony to the strong partnership between the United States and Japan. … It's one that my administration wants to strengthen.'In response, Mr. Aso -- seated to the president's right by the Oval Office fireplace, and speaking in English -- said that the U.S. and Japan 'will have to work together hand in hand. And I think we are the only two nations which can offer enough to solve those very critical, vital issue[s] of the world.'U.S.-Japanese cooperation will be important to Mr. Obama as well, particularly as some in his own party push for a tougher trade policy toward China.The president noted that the U.S.-Japanese alliance has been the 'cornerstone' of security in East Asia, and Japan has been a 'great partner' on issues ranging from climate change to the Afghanistan war. Both are areas where Mr. Obama is likely to be working especially closely with Japanese leaders in coming years. Japan has emerged as a go-between with China for Western countries on the touchy issue of a new global climate-change pact.Showing continued support for the U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan, the Aso government announced Tuesday that it will pay the salaries of 80,000 Afghan police officers for six months. Japan also will fund the construction of 200 schools and 100 hospitals and train more teachers. The projects are to be financed out of a $2 billion fund that Japan pledged for Afghanistan in 2002, which has about $500 million left.The visit comes as Mr. Aso's Liberal Democratic Party -- the ruling party for almost all of the last five decades -- is under pressure from the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which controls one chamber of parliament.Mr. Aso has been engaged in a diplomatic charm offensive of sorts, hoping to restore his government's tattered image ahead of parliamentary elections later this year. He recently welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Tokyo, then flew to Sakhalin Island to sit down with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to try to resolve territorial disputes.John D. McKinnon
U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to the Oval Office on Tuesday, in a visit that appeared calculated in part for political effect.Mr. Aso, considered a close ally of the U.S., has been weakened politically by the global downturn, parliamentary deadlocks and his occasional gaffes. His high-profile visit to the White House -- the first for a foreign leader since Mr. Obama became president in January -- appeared aimed at giving the struggling prime minister a lift back home by dramatizing his continued significance on the world stage.In brief remarks, Mr. Obama underscored the continuing importance of the alliance between the U.S. and Japan.'It is for that reason that the prime minister is the first foreign dignitary to visit me here in the Oval Office,' Mr. Obama said. 'I think it's a testimony to the strong partnership between the United States and Japan. … It's one that my administration wants to strengthen.'In response, Mr. Aso -- seated to the president's right by the Oval Office fireplace, and speaking in English -- said that the U.S. and Japan 'will have to work together hand in hand. And I think we are the only two nations which can offer enough to solve those very critical, vital issue[s] of the world.'U.S.-Japanese cooperation will be important to Mr. Obama as well, particularly as some in his own party push for a tougher trade policy toward China.The president noted that the U.S.-Japanese alliance has been the 'cornerstone' of security in East Asia, and Japan has been a 'great partner' on issues ranging from climate change to the Afghanistan war. Both are areas where Mr. Obama is likely to be working especially closely with Japanese leaders in coming years. Japan has emerged as a go-between with China for Western countries on the touchy issue of a new global climate-change pact.Showing continued support for the U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan, the Aso government announced Tuesday that it will pay the salaries of 80,000 Afghan police officers for six months. Japan also will fund the construction of 200 schools and 100 hospitals and train more teachers. The projects are to be financed out of a $2 billion fund that Japan pledged for Afghanistan in 2002, which has about $500 million left.The visit comes as Mr. Aso's Liberal Democratic Party -- the ruling party for almost all of the last five decades -- is under pressure from the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which controls one chamber of parliament.Mr. Aso has been engaged in a diplomatic charm offensive of sorts, hoping to restore his government's tattered image ahead of parliamentary elections later this year. He recently welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Tokyo, then flew to Sakhalin Island to sit down with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to try to resolve territorial disputes.John D. McKinnon