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13 October 2004

Armitage Optimistic About "Blueprint" for U.S. Troops in Japan

Deputy secretary hopes to have outline for transformation by end of 2004

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage expressed optimism about prospects for discussions on the transformation of U.S. forces in Japan in remarks to reporters in Tokyo October 13.

"I'm quite satisfied that together we'll be able to find a very amiable solution that does three things," Armitage said. "As Prime Minister Koizumi wanted, it will accelerate the process of transformation. With the agreement of President Bush, it will enhance deterrence, as well as will reduce the burden on the people of Japan."

Armitage was in Japan for periodic strategic policy discussions with Japanese officials, and to attend the third meeting of the Donors' Committee of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq, which handles donations to the United Nations and World Bank trust funds for Iraq.

The deputy secretary said that it was "quite possible" for the U.S. and Japan to reach agreement on a blueprint for reconfiguration of U.S. forces by the end of 2004, as proposed by Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura.

"I don't know if we will make that," he cautioned, "but that's a good goal to have."

Armitage refused to speculate on details of the negotiations, which he said would be handled by the U.S. military. He recommended acceleration of activities conducted by the Special Action Committee for Okinawa (SACO), a body established by joint agreement of the U.S. and Japanese governments in 1995 to consolidate the U.S. military presence in Okinawa.

Following is a transcript of Armitage's remarks to reporters, as provided by the State Department:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Richard L. Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State
U.S. Embassy-Tokyo Press Office
Tokyo, Japan
October 13, 2004

[Armitage Remarks to the Press Following Meetings]

QUESTION: Thank you for your time. After the series of talks with the Japanese ruling parties, are you optimistic about getting a concrete blueprint about U.S. military forces in Japan?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I found that both our Japanese colleagues here, as well as my American colleagues, are very well informed on the results of the discussions between Prime Minister Koizumi and President Bush in New York. As I have said, both sides have been given their marching orders and I'm quite satisfied that together we'll be able to find a very amiable solution that does three things. As Prime Minister Koizumi wanted, it will accelerate the process of transformation. With the agreement of President Bush, it will enhance deterrence, as well as will reduce the burden on the people of Japan. Those are our orders, and we'll follow them and I have found a good spirit here.

QUESTION: Foreign Minister Machimura said he wants to have some kind of blueprint by the end of this year. Do you think it is possible?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Oh, it's quite possible. I don't know if we will make that, but that's a good goal to have. I'll be speaking to the foreign minister later this evening and I'm sure he will repeat that to me and I'll carry the message back to Washington very faithfully.

QUESTION: At the present moment, as for U.S. Marine Forces in Okinawa, which is the stronger possibility -- staying somewhere in Japan or going abroad?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: That's a discussion you will have to ask my military colleagues. That's something that they are going to want to first talk about with the representatives of the Government of Japan. I think the last thing we want to do is talk about that in front of the mass media. It's something we need to talk about with our colleagues here.

QUESTION: As for SACO, Special Action Committee for Okinawa, I have to say that the activities are a little bit slow. How do you push it forward?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I spoke earlier today at a press conference at the U.S. Embassy and was asked a question by Mr. Suzuki of NHK [TV Asahi] and I expressed that -- my own view is -- he said some people say the SACO process is not doing what it was supposed to do. I reminded him that, years ago, when we had the SACO process originally, many of the mass media saluted it and said how wonderful it was. My own view is we ought to accelerate it.

QUESTION: Thank you. Part of training sessions of U.S. Marine Forces in Okinawa is now training in Australia, I understand.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Yes, Australia and other places.

QUESTION: Do you have any plans to enlarge the volume of training sessions over there?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I can't say that. I'll tell you we don't have, as far as I understand, any desire to increase the volume of training in Japan. So, thank you very much.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)