The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere, during which the two dignitaries discussed the good state of bilateral relations and expressed their mutual willingness to continue working to expand said ties on the basis of existing opportunities, primarily in the spheres of economy and trade; as well as issues related to the current international situation.

The distinguished visitor was accompanied by Kotaro Nogami, deputy chief cabinet secretary; Eiichi Hasegawa, special advisor to the Prime Minister; Japanese Ambassador to Cuba, Masaru Watanabe; as well as other official delegation members.

Participating on the Cuban side were compañeros Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, first prime minister of the Councils of State and Ministers; Salvador Valdés Mesa, a Council of State vice president: Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a Council of Ministers vice president and minister or Economy and Planning; Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, minister of Foreign Trade and Investment; Marcelino Medina González, interim minister of Foreign Relations; Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández, Cuban ambassador to Japan; as well as other Foreign Ministry representatives.

(Granma)

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)