DTN News: Japan TODAY September 3, 2009 ~ Change Of Power In Japan Presents New U.S. Diplomatic Concern

DTN News: Japan TODAY September 3, 2009 ~ Change Of Power In Japan Presents New U.S. Diplomatic Concern

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) TOKYO, Japan - September 3, 2009: Japan’s landmark shift in administration added diplomatic headaches for the U.S. government, raising concerns that Tokyo may distance itself from key U.S. policies like the war in Afghanistan, the New York Times reported on Wednesday in its online edition. Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Yukio Hatoyama leaves his office at the DPJ headquarters in Tokyo on September 2, 2009. Japan's incoming leaders met the outgoing government to start a power transition after their landslide election win, as a poll showed three-quarters of people have high expectations of them.

‘‘Inside the administration, the historic change in Tokyo is raising concerns that Japan may back away from supporting key American priorities like the war in Afghanistan or the redeployment of American troops in Asia,’’ the newspaper reported, citing U.S. senior officials.

The victory of the Democratic Party of Japan in Sunday’s lower house election ‘‘means the White House must deal, for the first time in decades, with a Japanese government that is a complete stranger, and one that has expressed blunt criticism of the United States.’’

‘‘The party’s leader and presumptive prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, recently spoke out against U.S.-led globalization and called for a greater Japanese focus on Asia,’’ the New York Times said of the DPJ head’s recent essay carried by U.S. media.

The election results in Japan create ‘‘a new set of imponderables for a White House already burdened by foreign policy headaches in Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea,’’ it said, referring to a possible end to a mission to refuel U.S. warships near Afghanistan under a DPJ-led government.