Alyansa ng Estados Unidos at Japan, matatag – Pence

Sinalubong ni  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

 si U.S Vice President Mike Pence sa Japan kamakailan. 

(Kuha mula sa U.S Embassy and Consulates in Japan)

Iginiit ni U.S. Vice President Mike Pence na nananatiling matatag ang alyansa ng Estados Unidos at Japan partikular na sa panawagan sa North Korea na itigil na ang kanilang nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Sinabi ni Pence na magkatuwang ang dalawang bansa sa pagtiyak sa seguridad at kapayapaan sa mundo.

“We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Japan, the people of South Korea and our allies and partners across the region until we achieve the global objective of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” pahayag ni Pence nang sandaling bumisita ito sa Japan kamakailan bago tumulak sa South Korea para sa 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Binisita rin ni Pence ang Japanese Patriot PAC-3 missile battery at nakipagkamay sa mga opisyal at ilang miyembro ng Self-Defense Forces (SDF). Nakipagpulong din si Pence kay Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Sa isang joint statement, sinabi nina Abe at Pence na nagkakaisa sila sa panawagan sa South Korea na huwag itong magpabuyo sa “smile diplomacy” na ipinapakita ng North Korea.

“Today, I shared the recognition with Vice President Pence once again that Japan, the U.S. and South Korea need to maximize pressure against North Korea through every possible measure. I was able to coordinate our North Korea policy completely,” pahayag ni Abe.

“Security is the foundation of our prosperities, and security in the Indo-Pacific is the main reason I came to Japan today. Working together, the United States and Japan will continue to confront the most dangerous threat in the Indo-Pacific, the rogue regime … North Korea,” ani naman ni Pence.

“We will continue to intensify our maximum pressure campaign… The United States is committed to provide Japan with additional cutting edge defense systems. Our nations are now working together to deliver these new defense systems as quickly as possible,” dagdag pa nito.

Para kay Abe, malabo na magkaroon ng diyalogo sa pagitan ng Japan at North Korea hangga’t hindi nito itinitigil ang nuclear programs.

“Unless North Korea shows sincere willingness to denuclearize itself and take concrete steps toward that goal, we cannot expect any meaningful dialogue,” ani Abe.

“Our alliance between Japan and the United States has become more robust and unwavering than ever,” giit pa nito.

Matatandaan na noong nakaraang taon ay isinagawa ng North Korea ang missile launce kung saan bumagsak ito sa karagatan ng Japan na mariing kinondena ng huli.