Pence, Abe agree on sanctions
TOKYO: US Vice President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday reaffirmed the need to keep sanctions on North Korea to achieve its denuclearisation as they showcased their bilateral alliance, while Pence also urged Japan to do more to reduce the US trade deficit.
Mr Pence and Mr Abe also agreed to deepen cooperation in promoting energy, infrastructure and providing loans to nations in the region.
Mr Pence said the US-Japan alliance is a “cornerstone’’ of the region’s peace and prosperity and said Japan is not only an ally but a friend, but that Japan needs to do more to reduce the bilateral trade imbalance.
“Japan is an indispensable trade partner for the United States,’’ he said. “The United States has had a trade imbalance with Japan for too long.’’
US products and services often face barriers to complete fairly in the Japanese market, Mr Pence said. He said economic dialogue over the past two years has addressed some issues, but “the best opportunities for free, fair and reciprocal trade will come in a bilateral agreement’’.
Mr Abe and President Donald Trump agreed in September to start bilateral free trade talks, which are expected to begin early next year. Mr Pence also said he expected Japan’s increased “investment’’ in stepping up the country’s defence. Japan’s Deputy Chief Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters later that Japan limited defence purchases to necessities and no details were discussed yesterday.
Japan has faced demands that it reduce its trade surplus with the US and is also concerned about the impact of Mr Trump’s trade war with China.
Yesterday, Mr Abe said Japan is willing to expand trade and investment “to make it mutually beneficial for Japan and the US in order to seek free and open economic development in the Indo-Pacific region under fair rules.’’
Mr Pence said in a recent opinion piece in The Washington Post that America will soon begin negotiations for “a historic trade agreement with Japan’’.
Mr Trump’s administration has made trade agreements with South Korea, Mexico and Canada. Mr Pence wrote that the new trade deals “will put American jobs and American workers first’’.
Mr Pence and Mr Abe gave reassurances of their cooperation on North Korea’s denuclearisation.
Mr Pence said the US will continue to put diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea and urged all Indo-Pacific nations to maintain pressure and sanctions until the complete denuclearisation of North Korea is achieved. Mr Abe said Japan and the US will continue to work together to get North Korea, which has hard-working people and rich resources, realise it has a bright future if it keeps its promise.