NEW YORK — Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama promised U.S. President Barack Obama that Tokyo will remain a close ally of Washington, but it's not yet clear how the bilateral relationship will develop under his administration, which seeks more equal ties with the United States.
In their first one-on-one talks in New York on Wednesday, Hatoyama and Obama agreed that the bilateral alliance remains the cornerstone of their security policy and that the leaders will tackle in close coordination a host of issues facing their countries as well as the rest of the world.
Some analysts, however, say a new chapter could be in store for the relationship, which is built upon a security treaty signed about 50 years ago, following the Sept. 16 launch of the government led by Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan.