Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Sunday highlighted four key areas of cooperation in his concept for an East Asian community — regional prosperity, the environment, protecting human life and maritime safety.
Hatoyama indicated the U.S. is a potential member of his envisaged regional grouping, saying in a speech in Singapore, "The presence of the United States has been playing and will continue to play an important role in ensuring the peace and prosperity of Asia, including Japan."
Hatoyama said Japan will speed up negotiations for economic partnership agreements with South Korea, India and Australia, and study the possibilities of talks with other countries as a means to pursuing prosperity in the region.
Hatoyama proposed expanding maritime cooperation in Southeast Asia, such as antipiracy operations in the Strait of Malacca, to other regions as part of efforts to build a "sea of 'yu-ai' (fraternity)," noting that "most regional commerce depends on sea routes."