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Japan should continue its push for economic integration in East Asia while at the same time solidifying its relations with the United States, with an eye toward a bilateral free-trade agreement with the U.S., said participants in a recent symposium in Tokyo.

Increased regional identity in East Asia should not be construed as a threat to American interests because even though emerging institutional frameworks in Asia may exclude the country, the U.S. will remain a dominant economic and security player in the region, they said.