Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and U.S. President Bill Clinton are expected to reaffirm their commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations, especially in the security field, when they meet April 25 in Washington.
Hashimoto has fulfilled his pledge to the United States to create a legal basis for extending land leases for U.S. military installations in Okinawa in time for his visit to Washington. In the economic field, the recent upturn in Japan's trade surplus with the U.S. is a matter of concern for Washington. Although some sectoral trade issues remain, such as in aviation, shipping services, telecommunications and automobiles, the two leaders will probably put greater focus on macro policies to ensure a domestic-led economic recovery in Japan.
Hashimoto and Clinton will also exchange views on a variety of international issues, with particular focus on the Asia-Pacific region, such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula and policies toward China. Over the past year, Washington has continually reiterated that Japan is an essential security ally, and Hashimoto and Clinton are expected to stress the importance of stronger bilateral relations, a Foreign Ministry official said.