Updated December 28, 2016 09:52:56
President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have made a symbolic joint visit to Pearl Harbor to highlight the strength of the US-Japan alliance, weeks before Republican Donald Trump takes over at the White House.
Key points:
- The two leaders took part in a wreath laying ceremony followed by a moment of silence
- Japan is hoping to strengthen ties with the US amid China concerns
- Abe's visit comes months after Obama became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima
Mr Abe and Mr Obama commemorated the dead at the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the remains of the sunken battleship USS Arizona, making Mr Abe the first Japanese prime minister to visit the memorial, a centrepiece of the historic site.
The two leaders stood solemnly in front of a wall inscribed with the names of those who died in the 1941 attack and took part in a brief wreath-laying ceremony, followed by a moment of silence.
"In Remembrance, Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan" was written on one wreath and "In Remembrance, Barack Obama, President of the United States" on the other — they then threw flower petals into the water.
Later the two leaders will both make remarks, however Japanese officials have clarified that Mr Abe would not apologise for the attack.
Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor with torpedo planes, bombers and fighter planes on the morning of December 7, 1941, pounding the US fleet moored there in the hope of destroying US power in the Pacific.
Mr Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, and Mr Abe met ahead of the visit to discuss ties between the two former World War II foes before heading to the site.
Japan hopes to present a strong alliance with the United States amid concerns about China's expanding military capability.
The leaders' meeting was also meant to reinforce the US-Japan partnership ahead of the January 20 inauguration of Mr Trump, whose opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact and campaign threat to force allied countries to pay more to host US forces raised concerns among allies such as Japan.
The Japanese leader's visit to Pearl Harbor comes months after Mr Obama became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima, where the United States dropped an atomic bomb in 1945.
Mr Obama called for a world without nuclear arms during his visit there.
Mr Trump last week called for the United States to "greatly strengthen and expand" its nuclear capability and reportedly welcomed an international arms race.
Reuters
First posted December 28, 2016 09:27:53
0 comments :
Post a Comment