Obama heads to Asia aiming to heal relations with Japan

[clear eye]

Source: The Guardian

President's tour to strengthen ties with region comes as longtime ally Tokyo looks to end subservience to Washington
Justin McCurry in Tokyo, and Tania Branigan in Beijing guardian.co.uk, Thursday 12 November 2009 12.36 GMT

...Barack Obama will face tough challenges over the economy, trade and Japan's alliance with Washington from the moment he arrives in Tokyo tomorrow at the start of his first presidential visit to {Asia}.

Until recently, the US could depend on Japan – its closest Asian ally for 50 years – to smooth its path into trickier diplomatic territory nearby. But the recent election of a centre-left government in Tokyo intent on ending Japan's subservience to Washington is threatening to weaken what a former US ambassador to the country described as the most important bilateral partnership in the world.

South Korea, another old ally, will push hard for progress on a stalled trade agreement, though administration officials have played down hope of a breakthrough.

...In an interview with Reuters this week, Obama described China as a "vital partner", but warned of "enormous strains" if economic imbalances between the country and the US were not corrected.

Trade tensions have already been felt, with China attacking US tariffs on its tyres and steel pipes. But Beijing hinted today that it might allow appreciation of the yuan...

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/12/obama-japan-china-visit

[David Zephyr]

1. A nine day trip now? The economy? Afghanistan?

Nine days?