President Obama Visits Japan

Japan is my first stop as President in Asia. I began my trip here in Tokyo because the alliance between the United States and Japan is a foundation for security and prosperity, not just for our two countries, but for the Asia-Pacific region. In a few months we will be marking the fiftieth anniversary of our alliance, which is founded on shared values and shared interests, that has served our people so well and has provided peace and security for the region in an unprecedented way. That anniversary [¡Ä] represents an important opportunity to step back and reflect on what we have achieved and celebrate our friendship, but also find ways to renew this alliance and refresh it for the twenty-first century.

"Both Yukio [Hatoyama] and I were elected on a promise of change. But there should be no doubt, as we move our nations in a new direction, our alliance will endure and our efforts will be focused on revitalizing that friendship so that it is even stronger and more successful in meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century. It is essential for the United States, it is essential for Japan, and it is essential for the Asia-Pacific region."

Source: Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet homepage; extract from the provisional transcription of the Joint Press Conference by Prime Minister Hatoyama and President Obama, November 13