Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the revised Japanese-U.S. security treaty, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Tuesday praised the pact for maintaining Asia-Pacific peace and stressed that U.S. forces here have been and will continue to be a deterrent amid uncertain times.

The past 50 years have witnessed significant changes, but the world continues to face danger, Hatoyama said, citing the rise of terrorism after the 9/11 attacks and Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats.

"It can be said that the Japan-U.S. security pact will continue to be indispensable not only for our nation's defense but also for the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region," he said in a prepared statement.