U.S. military chief cites `urgency` to boost Japan-U.S.-S. Korea cooperation

TOKYO, Dec. 9 Kyodo -
The top U.S. military officer agreed Thursday with Japanese Defense Minister
Toshimi Kitazawa to boost trilateral cooperation between the United States,
Japan and South Korea, saying he sees a ''real sense of urgency'' in light of
rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at
a news conference after his talks with Kitazawa and Japanese Defense Ministry
officials that cooperation is vital in deterring Pyongyang from further
provocation following the North's deadly artillery attack Nov. 23 on South
Korea's Yeonpyeong Island.
''It's much better addressed with all of us together in terms of showing
strength and getting to a point where we are able to deter North Korean
behavior,'' Mullen said, slamming the North's ''reckless behavior'' in pursuing
nuclear weapons which has caused ''volatility'' in Northeast Asia.
Coming to Japan after his trip to South Korea, the top uniformed officer of the
United States reiterated that Washington is ''very much committed'' to the
defense of its two Asian allies.
Mullen, who is visiting Japan for the first time since the North's attack on
the South Korean island, also noted the importance of the three countries
taking part in joint military drills, referring to the recent joint U.S.-South
Korean exercises in which officers from Japan's Self-Defense Forces were
present as observers, as well as the current Japan-U.S. exercises where South
Korea this time is an observer.
''I would like to see all of us do as much as we can regionally and certainly
exercising together is a big part of that,'' he said, appealing for a more
active role for Tokyo at a critical time when ''steps must be taken to ensure''
that Pyongyang's provocations are stopped.
''All leaders, civilian and military, need to figure out a way...in the region
and the world to work together and to be less tied to our past, which sometimes
can hold back initiatives for the future which are really important as we look
at this changing world,'' he said.
Whether Tokyo will participate in drills that are not directly related to
Japan's defense is a politically sensitive issue in Japan given that
participation would be considered exercising the nation's right of collective
self-defense.
Tokyo maintains the position that although it has the right to collective
defense, Japan cannot exercise it due to constraints under its pacifist
Constitution.
Reflecting the Japanese government's caution in dealing with the matter, Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said at his press conference that the
government needs ''more time'' to move toward joining U.S.-S. Korea military
drills.
While Mullen told Kitazawa during their meeting ahead of his press conference
it is vital to send a warning to North Korea, the two agreed there is a need to
avoid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Japanese Defense Ministry
officials said.
His meeting with Kitazawa and Gen. Ryoichi Oriki, chief of staff of the SDF's
Joint Staff earlier in the day, as well as with his South Korean counterpart
Gen. Han Min Koo on Wednesday, came after a trilateral meeting of the foreign
ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea on Monday in Washington
where they agreed to enhance their policy coordination in dealing with the
North's artillery attack.
Mullen took a swipe at China, a close ally of North Korea, as he renewed his
call for Beijing to show responsible leadership and take more steps to stop
North Korea's provocations.
''China must lead and guide North Korea to a better future,'' he said, noting
that ''there's no country in the world that has more influence in Pyongyang
than China'' and that inaction has fueled North Korea's ''abhorrent behavior''
and could worsen the situation on the peninsula a decade from now.
==Kyodo