Japan Foreign Chief Vows to Maintain Int'l Order

Tokyo, Dec. 7 (Jiji Press)--Japan is resolved to work with other countries to maintain the international order, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Navy's attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Hawaii time. "At the time, Japan became a challenger to the international order," Hayashi said of the attack, which triggered the war between Japan and the United States as part of World War II. "We want to further strengthen cooperation with like-minded countries to maintain and strengthen a free and open order," he said. "It's more and more important to strengthen the coping and deterrent capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance as the security environment is even more severe," he said. Apparently with China's increasingly hegemonic moves in mind, Hayashi said, "We are facing a challenge to the universal values and international order that have supported the peace and prosperity of the international community." END