- Title: JAPAN: U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD VISIT, LATEST.
- Date: 15th November 2003
- Summary: (W3) TOKYO, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 15, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF WELCOMING MILITARY CEREMONY (2 SHOTS) 0.15 2. GV/ZOOM/CU: U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD AND JAPANESE DEFENCE MINISTER SHIGERU ISHIBA SHAKE HANDS WHILE SEATED FOR TALKS 0.30 3. LV/MV: PODIUM, MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 0.40 4. (SOUNDBITE)(English) RUMSFELD SAYING: "I do believe in every being in my body that each country needs to think through these issues and make judgements that are appropriate to their circumstance and their perspective and we are completely comfortable with that and we are confident that our friends here in Japan will make decisions that are appropriate to them and that is what we want them to do." 1.12 5. LV: MORE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 1.16 6. (SOUNDBITE)(Japanese) ISHIBA SAYING: "We are considering the issue (of sending troops to Iraq) from the security issue, what Japan can do there and the security measures which are in place. We would like to observe the situation on the ground and make a carefully thought out decision on what will be done." 1.35 7. MV: REPORTER WITH LAPTOP COMPUTER 1.39 8. GV/MV/CU: RUMSFELD WALKING TO MEMORIAL FOR SELF DEFENCE FORCE PERSONNEL WHO HAVE DIED IN LINE OF DUTY AS JAPAN SELF DEFENCE FORCE BAND PLAY; RUMSFELD LAYING WREATH; U.S. OFFICIALS WATCHING (5 SHOTS) 2.10 9. MV/GV: VARIOUS OF ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATORS IN PROTEST MARCH (4 SHOTS) 2.30 (U3) TOKYO, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 15, 2003) (REUTERS) 10. CU: YOKOTA AIRBASE SIGN 2.36 11. GV/LV: VARIOUS OF UH-60 BLACKHAWK LANDING AT YOKOTA AIRBASE (2 SHOTS) 2.50 12. MCU; CLOSE UP OF U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN HOWARD BAKER IN THE HELICOPTER 2.57 13. MV: WELCOMING COMMITTEE LEAD BY YOKOTA AIRBASE COMMANDER COLONEL MARK O. SCHISSLER AND WIFE MARCIA 3.00 14. GV/PAN: U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD STEPS OUT OF HELICOPTER WALKS TO OFFICIALS 3.18 15. GV/MV/CU: RUMSFELD GREETED AND GETTING INTO VAN, VAN DRIVING AWAY (6 SHOTS) 3.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th November 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Reuters ID: LVA5V0YM8LEAWC6OFILP752N306E
- Story Text: U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
visits Japan.
U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told his
Japanese counterpart on Saturday (November 15) it was up to
Japan to decide whether or not to send troops to Iraq.
"I do believe in every being in my body that each
country needs to think through these issues and make
judgements that are appropriate to their circumstance and
their perspective and we are completely comfortable with
that and we are confident that our friends here in Japan
will make decisions that are appropriate to them and that
is what we want them to do," Rumsfeld told a news
conference following a meeting with Japanese Defence
Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Tokyo, one of Washington's closest Asian allies, has
been divided between its alliance with the United States
and domestic public opinion, which opposed the U.S.-led war
in Iraq and is predominantly against sending troops to the
country.
While Japanese officials have said that sending
non-combat forces to Iraq was not possible under existing
conditions following Wednesday's (November 12) attack that
killed 18 Italians, they have also said that Tokyo had not
given up the planned dispatch.
"We are considering the issue (of sending troops to
Iraq) from the security issue, what Japan can do there and
the security measures which are in place. We would like to
observe the situation on the ground and make a carefully
thought out decision on what will be done."
A Self Defence Force (SDF) mission to investigate the
situation left on Saturday.
Japan enacted a law in July allowing the dispatch of
troops to Iraq to help with reconstruction and humanitarian
activities.
However, the law stipulated that the military, whose
overseas activities are constrained by Japan's pacifist
constitution, would be sent only to non-combat zones.
That led to debate over whether there were any such
areas in Iraq, where U.S. soldiers are killed almost on a
daily basis.
On the issue of North Korea and its suspected nuclear
agenda, Rumsfeld promised Japan that security guarantees
the United States may give North Korea would not weaken its
commitments to Japan.
North Korea wants the United States to give it a guarantee
that its security will not be threatened if it
agrees to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.
The prospect of a deal has worried some Japanese,
suspicious of North Korea, which fired a ballistic missile
over Japan in 1998, but Rumsfeld moved to soothe their
concerns saying that the U.S. government would not make an
agreement with any country that would undermine the
security agreement with Japan.
There are 58,500 American troops stationed in Japan as
part of a security alliance between the two countries.
While Rumsfeld discussed Iraq with Ishiba, dozens of
peace activists marched through the streets of Tokyo to
protest against the issue.
Later on Saturday (November 15), Rumsfeld arrived at
Yokota Airbase in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.
There was no grand ceremony to welcome the Defense
Secretary, he was greeted by a small group of airforce
personnel led by Yokota Airbase Commander Mark O. Schissler
and his wife Marcia.
Rumsfeld is in the region to talk security and a major
realignment of U.S. troops in the western Pacific,
including Japan.
About half of the American troops, 28,900, including
the Seventh Fleet, stationed in Japan, are based on
Okinawa, including 18,000 U.S. Marines.
Media reports earlier this year -- denied by U.S.
officials -- that most of the Marines stationed in Okinawa
might be shifted elsewhere, perhaps Australia, had raised
hopes for such a move among residents in Okinawa.
Rumsfeld will visit Okinawa on Sunday and meet Okinawa
Governor Keiichi Inamine before heading to Seoul for talks
with South Korean leaders.
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