ニュース 2009/10/23 Hatoyama says would like to consider role expected of Japan through attendance at ASEAN On October 23, responded to reporters’ questions at the Prime Minister’s residence. He commented on his attendance at the forthcoming ASEAN summit meeting, saying that he believed there was a role for Japan to play in Asia and based on that perspective, he would like to consider exactly what role was expected of Japan. With regard to the issue of moving Futenma airbase, Hatoyama explained that while he recognized the weight of the agreement that had already been made between Japan and the United States, as the head of the newly-elected administration he had asked Minister of Defense Kitazawa and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Okada to conduct speedy and detailed investigations to ascertain whether there were any other alternatives that would meet the expectations of the public and the residents of Okinawa prefecture. He stated, “We do not feel that it is necessary to come up with all the answers by the time of President Obama’s visit to Japan. I have also clearly stated this to Secretary Gates.” Hatoyama went on to refer to the shift in US policy toward Iraq that had taken place after the change of administration in the US. He also expressed the opinion that allowing cabinet members to exchange opinions freely until the cabinet could come to an agreement on a single policy direction showed the flexibility of the new administration. In relation to his participation in the forthcoming ASEAN leaders summit, Hatoyama responded to the question, “What stance will the Hatoyama administration take toward other Asian nations, apart from China and the Republic of Korea?”, by saying that he advocated an “open regionalism”. He went on to say that he believed that there was a role for Japan to play in Asia and based on that perspective, he believed it was important to create the image of a united Asia as part of the framework of a long-term vision. He said that other countries hoped to see Japan correcting disparities, and that he wanted to find a role that would enable it to do that. He added that it was extremely significant to consider Japan’s role, by working out how to create cooperative relationships regarding such themes as the economy, trade, education, disaster prevention, and the environment within frameworks such as ASEAN plus three and APEC, and said, “I am looking forward to attending this meeting with a great deal of interest.”