Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




SUPERPOWERS
US urges Tokyo to improve ties with neighbours after shrine visit
by Staff Writers
Tokyo (AFP) Jan 05, 2014


US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has urged Japan to improve relations with neighbouring countries after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to a controversial war shrine, an American official has said.

Abe enraged China and South Korea when on December 26 he made his first visit as premier to Yasukuni shrine, which honours Japan's war dead including several high-level officials executed for war crimes after World War II.

"Secretary Hagel underscored the importance of Japan taking steps to improve relations with its neighbours, and to promote cooperation in advancing the shared goals of regional peace and stability," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement posted on the US Defence Department website late Saturday.

The comments were issued after telephone talks between Hagel and Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera.

China and other Asian countries say the shrine serves as a reminder of Japan's 20th century aggression, and is a source of bitterness between Japan and its neighbours and Abe's visit also sparked criticism from Washington.

During their conversation late Saturday, Onodera sought Hagel's understanding over the visit, telling his counterpart that the prime minister had renewed Japan's pledge that it must never wage war again, Kyodo News said citing Japanese officials.

Hagel had also thanked the Japanese government for its efforts in securing approval from Okinawa's governor to move towards relocating a US Marine Corps air base on the island, Kirby said.

.


Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








SUPERPOWERS
Four-of-5 world leaders use Twitter; Obama leads the pack
Washington (UPI) Jan 2, 2013
Four out of 5 world leaders use Twitter, an annual ranking of the use of social media among world leaders by the Digital Policy Council found. The numbers are an increase of 8 percent compared with the number of leaders using the service in 2012, the Washington group said in a release Thursday. The survey also ranks the Top 10 tweeting leaders in the world, placing President Obam ... read more


SUPERPOWERS
Chang'e 3 Lander and Rover From Above

China's moon rover "sleeps" through lunar night

Will the Moon be carved-up?

NASA Releases New Earthrise Simulation Video

SUPERPOWERS
More than 1,000 chosen for one-way Mars reality-TV mission

Potential Martians: Mars One selects 1,058 hopefuls among 200,000 applicants

'Mars One' will reveal if there is life outside Earth

Mars One mission: big work ahead

SUPERPOWERS
Only lawyers profit as tech giants go to war over patents

Space trips open to Chinese travelers

Work on NASA's New Orion Spacecraft Progresses as Engineers Pivot to 2014

Official: Iran to Send Astronaut into Space in 2024

SUPERPOWERS
China launches communications satellite for Bolivia

China's moon rover continues lunar survey after photographing lander

China's Yutu "naps", awakens and explores

Deep space monitoring station abroad imperative

SUPERPOWERS
Expedition 38 Sends New Year's Greetings on Off-Duty Day

Station Cosmonauts Complete Spacewalk to Deploy Cameras

Russian cosmonauts Kotov and Ryazansky complete ISS spacewalk

Station's Replacement Pump Successfully Restarted

SUPERPOWERS
Russian Rocket Puts Telecoms Satellite Into Orbit

Antares Launch Scheduled For Jan 7

The Athena-Fidus satellite is readied for Arianespace first heavy-lift mission of 2014

Boeing, Energia Achieve Mixed Results in Counterclaims

SUPERPOWERS
NASA's Hubble Sees Cloudy Super-Worlds With Chance for More Clouds

Using an Atmosphere to Weigh a Planet

Gaia Mission Could Help Map Exoplanets

First detection of a predicted unseen exoplanet

SUPERPOWERS
Computers search for 'cheapium' versions of expensive materials

New computer memory can hold data 20 years without power

Mission to test laser communications across space distances a success

Large-aperture planar lens antennas with gradient refractive index




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement