Japan’s new leader reassures U.S. of strong alliance

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s incoming leader said Thursday he told President Barack Obama that the two countries’ security alliance is the “foundation” of his country’s foreign relations, an apparent attempt to ease concerns his new government may try to distance itself from Washington.

Yukio Hatoyama, whose party won a resounding victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, and Obama spoke by telephone for about 12 minutes, Hatoyama’s Democratic Party of Japan said on its Web site. The White House confirmed the call took place but did not immediately release details.

“The Japan-U.S. alliance is the foundation,” Hatoyama said he told Obama during the conversation, adding he “wants to build constructive, forward-looking Japan-U.S. relations.”

His comments to reporters after the call were shown on national broadcaster NHK.

The White House said in a statement that Obama expressed his “strong wish to work with Mr. Hatoyama and the Japanese government.”