- Title: JAPAN: US Deputy State Secreatary meets Japan FM amid tension with China
- Date: 15th October 2012
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 15, 2012) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING JAPANESE FLAG U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS SHAKING HANDS WITH JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER KOICHIRO GEMBA GEMBA WELCOMING U.S. DELEGATES DELEGATES TAKING SEATS AT TABLE GEMBA SPEAKING BURNS SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS SAYING: "It's a particular pleasure for me to have the opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the United States attaches to our alliance and to our partnership, with so many different countries around the world." CAMERAMEN FILMING TALK IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 30th October 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA570X0AKGRLBYD6GBAOZPEUF05
- Story Text: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns meets Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba to discuss territorial disputes in East Asia and North Korean issues.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns met Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba on Monday (October 15) amid tensions with China over a territorial dispute and the threat of North Korea's weapons programmes.
On the first leg of his tour to five Asian nations, Burns visited the Japanese Foreign Ministry to meet the top diplomat of one of the United States' closest allies.
"It's a particular pleasure for me to have the opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the United States attaches to our alliance and to our partnership with so many different countries around the world," Burns said in the meeting.
Sino-Japanese relations deteriorated sharply after Japan in September bought from private owners some of the East China Sea islets that both Tokyo and Beijing claim. That sparked violent anti-Japanese protests across China and badly hurt trade.
On Sunday (October 14), Japan's Self Defense Force held a navy review featuring warships and submarines off the coast of Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, where Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told his navy that Japan's security environment was tougher than ever.
Burns is scheduled to meet Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto later on Monday before he leaves for the South Korean capital Seoul on Tuesday (October 16).
He's also visiting China, Myanmar and India during his Asia tour. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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