Historical Dictionary of United States-Japan ... - Bakumatsu Films

28 • INTRODUCTION
and the Japanese economy. Nonperforming loans amounted to hundreds
of billions of dollars. Koizumi openly expressed his deep pro-U.S. position
in public, looking for solid outside support to implement his potentially
unpopular reform agenda. President Bush, for his part, demonstrated
his clear support for Koizumi’s economic structural reform
policy. North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear research programs,
and especially the al-Qaeda attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon in September 2001 further promoted military cooperation between
Japan and the United States. The U.S.–Japanese relationship continues
to be one of the most important bilateral relationships in the 21st
century, especially in the Asia–Pacific area. The peace and stability of
the Asia–Pacific area in the 21st century depend on U.S.–Japanese cooperation
and their efforts to contain destabilizing factors in this area.
On 29 October 2001, the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law was
enacted. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force began to supply
fuel to U.S. ships in the northern part of the Indian Ocean in December
2001. This law was extended for two years in November 2003, and extended
again for one year in November 2005. Over this period, the
Japanese Self-Defence Forces have been acting in a supportive role in
the Indian Ocean.
In August 2002, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kerry informed
former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto that North Korea
was suspected of secretly developing nuclear weapons. However, On
17 September 2002, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi went ahead and
visited North Korea and signed the Pyongyang Declaration.
Japan also supports U.S. policies toward Iraq. On 26 July 2003, Special
legislation calling for assistance in the rebuilding of Iraq was enacted.
In December 2003, the Japanese government formulated a basic
plan. On 16 January 2004, based on this law and plan, the Japanese government
dispatched an advance party of the Japan Ground Self-Defense
Force to Iraq. Japan dispatched approximately 600 members of the
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to As-Samawah, Iraq, to set up water
supply, recovery and development of public facilties, and medical support.
In December 2004, the law stationing the Japan Self-Defense
Forces in Iraq was extended for one year. In December 2005, the basic
plan was extended for one year. Japan decided to spend up to $5 billion
for reconstruction assistance of Iraq. In short, Japan has been helping
the United States in Iraq, both in terms of economic cooperation and of
reconstruction of Iraq by the Self-Defence Force.