Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, starts today in Washington a visit during which he expected a new agreement in defense and talks, although without formal announcements, about the Trans-pacific Partnership (TTP).
Labeled historical, the State visit of Abe- who was received last Tuesday by president Barack Obama- seeks to strengthen the political alliance between Japan and United States and in that sense the agreement on cooperation in security seems to be key.
During this week, the foreign leader will pass through Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles, while his agenda in Washington also includes a meeting with Obama in the Oval-house, a lunch at the State Department and a supper at the White House.
Furthermore, Abe will be this Wednesday the first head of the Japanese government to speak in a joint session of the US Congress.
Early in April, the US Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter, traveled to Tokyo and there announced that the new bilateral security agreement will expand cooperation in areas such as space and cyberspace.
Carter then said that Washington supports the efforts of the Abe administration to launch the so-called policy of “collective self-defense ‘, according to which Japanese troops could fight outside the country in support of its allies, something forbidden by the current Constitution.
This Monday is expected that the Defense and foreign ministers of the two nations report on the review of bilateral state Treaty on Mutual Cooperation and Security.
About the ATT (acronym) whose scope reaches 10 other nations, Abe and Obama will not make any formal announcement: ‘We’re not even ready for a final agreement. More work is needed ‘, noted Caroline Atkinson, economic adviser to the National Security Council at the White House.
Progress at this point will be for later although when the Finance Committee of the US Senate endorsed last week a legislation proposal -a fast track – that would accelerate commercial moves of government: both the TTP as Transatlantic Treaty for trade and Investment with Europe.
Obama faces criticisms even within his party, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, which point out his commercial policy, as they argue that those agreement will damage the US working class.
Another issue that would be on the table these days are the fight against climate change as well as the relationships within the Asian region and the framework agreement between the Group 5 + 1 (USA, France, UK, Russia, China, plus Germany) and Iran over its nuclear program.
Analysts noted that in this time Washington intends to significantly increase its influence in Asia, an area much closer to its larger competitors, Beijing and Moscow.
(Prensa Latina)