Obama Asia tour: US-Japan treaty 'covers disputed islands'
US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his support for Japan du hoc Nhat Ban in its row over islands with China, after talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Mr Obama, who is on a four-nation Asia tour, warned against escalation in the dispute and said he wanted to see the row resolved peacefully.
But he confirmed that the islands fell under a security treaty that commits the US to act if Japan is attacked.
The two leaders also discussed a major trade deal as well as North Korea.
The US president arrived in Japan late on Wednesday ahead of stops in South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.
He is not going to Beijing but relations with China are expected to dominate his meetings with regional leaders.
'Deep belief'
Mr Obama's trip - which du hoc tai Nhat Ban ends on 29 April - comes nearly seven months after he cancelled a visit to the region because of a US government shutdown.
Officials say it is aimed at reassuring America's Asian allies of its commitment to the region amid concern over China's growing power.
On Wednesday Mr Obama had an informal dinner with Mr Abe. The two leaders then held talks on Thursday morning and gave a joint press conference.
"Article five [of the US-Japan security treaty] covers all territories under Japan's administration including [the] Senkaku islands," Mr Obama said, echoing comments published in Wednesday's Yomiuri newspaper. "We do not believe that they should be subject to change unilaterally."
"This is not a new position. This is a consistent one," he said.
However, Mr Obama also said he told Mr Abe that it "would be a profound mistake to continue to see escalation around this issue instead of dialogue".
The islands are called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Japan controls the islands but China has been strongly pressing its claim in recent months, flying and sailing vessels in du hoc Nhat Ban 2014 and out of what Japan says are its waters and airspace.
Japan depends on the US for its security, under a decades-old alliance that dates back to the end of World War Two. If Japan is attacked, the US is obliged to come to its aid.
Advertise on APSense
This advertising space is available.
Post Your Ad Here
Post Your Ad Here
Comments