U.S. and Japan on the same page

At a bilateral summit this week before the Group of Eight summit, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed on the need for both nations to closely cooperate in achieving the denuclearization of North Korea and resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North during the Cold War. Mr. Fukuda correctly stressed that the nuclear and abduction issues should be solved together and simultaneously.

The U.S.-Japan summit was the first of its kind since the United States began a procedure to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism following the North's declaration of its nuclear programs. Mr. Fukuda and Mr. Bush apparently sought to lessen the emotional reaction in Japan to the process of removing North Korea from the list. Mr. Bush said he would not forget the abduction issue and that there will be no change in U.S. support of Japan's position on the issue.

Mr. Fukuda said, rightfully, that it is necessary to get North Korea to move from the stage of "word for word" to "action for action" on the abduction issue, and called on the U.S. to try to influence the North on the matter. Mr. Bush replied that the U.S. will pursue close cooperation with Japan in working toward a quick resolution of the abduction issue. While this is encouraging, Japan should seriously consider what kind of leverage it has and can use against North Korea.

As for the nuclear issue, Mr. Fukuda stressed the importance of closely examining North Korea's declaration of its nuclear programs and called for starting the verification process as soon as possible. Both Mr. Fukuda and Mr. Bush agreed to work toward getting North Korea to abandon all nuclear weapons and programs through the verification of the nuclear declaration.

Although the two leaders agreed that the alliance between Japan and the U.S. has tremendously deepened since the inauguration of the Bush administration, they should keep in mind that North Korea will try to drive a wedge between their countries if it detects any sign that Japan and the U.S. are out of sync with each other even slightly in their approach to the North.