"Our treaty commitment to Japan's security is absolute, and Article 5 covers all territories under Japan's administration, including the Senkaku Islands," Obama said at the news conference.
INSIGHT: A series of firsts in Obama meeting with Abe
U.S. President Barack Obama's pledge to protect the Senkaku Islands was one major sign of the rare developments that unfolded before and during his meeting on April 24 with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
After Abe and Obama dined on sushi in the Ginza district of Tokyo on April 23, lights were still burning at the Foreign Ministry in the Kasumigaseki district as officials of the two nations were ironing out the details of the joint statement to be released after the Abe-Obama meeting on April 24.
A Japanese government source could not hide his irritation at the slow pace at which wording about security issues, especially with China in mind, was proceeding.
"National security is part of a set along with the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade arrangement," the source said. "Adjustments will have to be made in the joint statement depending on progress in the TPP negotiations. This may take us until the morning (of April 24)."
Abe and Obama agreed over sushi that further talks should continue between Akira Amari, the state minister in charge of the TPP, and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. The two continued their negotiations until 3 a.m. on April 24, but no agreement was reached.
At the joint news conference held April 24 after his meeting with Obama, Abe said: "TPP negotiations will continue today between the two officials. The release of the joint statement will be made after the results of those negotiations are taken into consideration."
Ordinarily, joint statements released after summit talks have been all but finalized prior to the actual meeting. That allows for the announcement of the joint statement immediately afterward.
The latest meeting was particularly unusual because no joint statement was released right away, and also because negotiations resumed even after the two leaders had already met.
Commenting on this unusual situation, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's farm lobby said, "The joint statement has been taken hostage."
The United States was apparently using the joint statement as a lever to put pressure on Japan to reach an agreement on the TPP.
A high-ranking official of the Abe administration said: "That is only evidence that the two sides are involved in negotiations with much at stake in terms of national interests. There will be no problem as long as the joint statement is released before Obama leaves Japan."
While no TPP agreement in principle was reached on April 24, Obama clearly stated Washington's obligation to protect the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are also claimed by China.
"Our treaty commitment to Japan's security is absolute, and Article 5 covers all territories under Japan's administration, including the Senkaku Islands," Obama said at the news conference.
At the same time, he reiterated the U.S. position and said, "We don't take a position on final sovereignty determinations with respect to the Senkakus, but historically they have been administered by Japan and we do not believe that they should be subject to change unilaterally."
The Obama administration was initially hesitant about excessively emphasizing China during the president's meeting with Abe. However, in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine, U.S. officials also stressed that one objective of Obama's trip to Asia would be to reconfirm Washington's responsibility to its allies.
In the end, Obama agreed to mention the Senkakus in response to Japan's exhortations. Similar wording will be included in the joint statement.
A high-ranking Japanese government official said mention of the Senkakus by Obama would be an important result of the meeting with Abe, especially with no final agreement on the TPP.
Because the Japanese request was accepted, a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said, "From the standpoint of deterrence, the contents of what he said could not have been any stronger."
At the same time, the Obama administration did not completely overlook China.
While emphasizing the importance of abiding by the rule of international law, Obama also stressed the importance of China's role in global affairs.
"We have strong relations with China," he said. "They are a critical country not just to the region, but to the world."
When Obama was asked if he was drawing a new red line on the Senkakus with his comment, he replied, "This isn't a red line that I'm drawing. It is the standard interpretation over multiple (U.S.) administrations."
He then added, "I've said directly to (Abe) that it would be a profound mistake to continue to see escalation around this issue rather than dialogue and confidence-building measures between Japan and China."
In a sense, the Obama administration has not displayed a new view on the Senkakus issue since it has stuck by its past position of neutrality on the sovereignty question.
When asked about that point at his own separate news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said: "Perhaps you should read his comments more honestly. The president clearly said Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty applied to the islands. The comments are no more nor no less than that."
While issues concerning interpretation of history, which have dogged Japan's relations with China and South Korea, were not raised during Abe's meeting with Obama, the prime minister was asked about his December visit to Yasukuni Shrine by a member of the U.S. media.
"I made a pledge of not entering into war under my firm resolve to create a world in which people never again suffer from the ravages of war," Abe said. "I will continue to make that explanation in order to gain understanding."
He obviously had in mind the expression by the U.S. State Department of its "disappointment" at his visit, which enraged China and South Korea. Visits are controversial because the shrine memorializes 14 Class-A war criminals along with Japan's war dead.
Abe also explained how Japan had reflected on the wartime suffering it had caused to the peoples of Asia. This was an obvious reference to the wording of the 1995 statement issued under the name of Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, which expressed deep remorse and an apology for Japan's colonial rule and aggression before and during World War II.
Abe also expressed his intention to abide by positions taken by past Japanese administrations, a veiled reference to the 1993 statement issued under the name of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono expressing apology to the "comfort women" who were forced to provide sexual services to wartime Japanese troops.
Abe tried to be conciliatory toward both China and South Korea, much as he did before his meeting in The Hague in March with Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Prior to those trilateral talks, Abe said in the Diet that his administration would not revise the Kono statement.
However, Abe concluded the news conference with a veiled reference to China.
"After World War II, Japan created a nation that respects human rights and values the rule of law," Abe said. "We want to increase such regions throughout the world."
(This article was written by Akihiro Yamada, Takashi Oshima, Takashi Funakoshi and Masahiro Tsuruoka.)
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