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Koizumi Tells Bush Japan Stands 'Firmly' by U.S.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met with U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday and pledged that Japan will ''stand firmly'' by the United States in its war against international terrorism.
Koizumi also promised that Japan will cooperate with the U.S. as much as possible, short of using military force. Bush welcomed the idea, saying that not using military power does not change the importance of the bilateral alliance.
''We Japanese firmly stand by the United States to fight terrorism,'' Koizumi told reporters after emerging alongside Bush after an hourlong meeting at the Oval Office.
The Koizumi-Bush summit, part of U.S. efforts to forge a global coalition against international terrorism, was dominated by the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, including their political and economic impacts.
On antiterrorism efforts, the two leaders discussed ways for their two countries to cooperate while allowing Japan to refrain from using force. They agreed that they should, for example, share information and take steps to cut funding to terrorists.
Koizumi told Bush Japan is willing to cooperate in fields such as assisting refugees, collecting information and shipping supplies.
The activities are outlined in Japan's seven-point package of actions, which includes taking steps to allow the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to provide logistical support to an anticipated U.S. military retaliation.
Other steps in the seven-point plan include emergency economic aid to Pakistan to encourage its cooperation in tracking down Saudi exile Osama bin Laden, Washington's prime suspect in the terror attacks which left more than 6,000 people dead or missing.
Koizumi made a brief visit to the Pentagon ahead of his meeting with Bush and witnessed the destruction caused by the attacks.
The premier, who headed back to Japan following the meeting with Bush, also visited the ruins of the World Trade Center during a brief stop in New York on Monday.
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