At the latest Washington meeting, they mapped out common strategic objectives and widened the cooperation to dealing with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction across the world.

    The 1996 security declaration came out with a subtitle Alliance for the 21st Century, demonstrating that Japan and the United States since then have worked toward a strengthened military partnership.

    Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a firm supporter of a tighter partnership with the United States, has always pursued a policy of Japan-US alliance in the global arena.

    He addressed a parliamentary session earlier this year that the Japan-US alliance was the foundation for the peace and stability of the world.

    He deems that a bolstered Japan-US alliance is the utmost priority in terms of Japan's national interest. Therefore, Tokyo is desperately aligned itself militarily with the United States, which sticks to unilateralism and a preemptive strike policy.

    Japan's Red Flag newspaper pointed out that the joint statement issued at the Washington meeting aimed at updating the alliance to a global level, which would put in danger the peace and security of Japan.

    Ichida Tadayoshi, secretariat head of the Japanese Communist Party, emphasized that the integration of the Japanese and US forces will lead Japan to peril. Enditem