BEIJING, July 2 -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday the alliance between Japan and the United States is key to Japan's national security and peace in the Far East.

    Japan and the United States should continue to ensure the alliance work in an effective way, Aso told a forum organized by the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

    Soundbite: Taro Aso, Japanese Prime Minister "Japan's security and prosperity can't be guaranteed by Japan itself. It is necessary to make sure the Japan-U.S. alliance work in an effective way. The alliance is meaningful and cannot be bound by just one agreement. Japan and the United States should work continuously together to ensure the alliance work properly."

    Aso attacked the opposition party's claim that the U.S. 7th Fleet is sufficient to secure the U.S. presence in east Asia.

    He also defended his cabinet's decision of sending troops abroad, such as the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and the anti-piracy mission in waters off Somalia.

    On the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Aso said Japan needs to work closely with other members of the six-party framework to guarantee a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

    In addition, Aso insisted that Japan expand its "soft power" like animation, fashion and education.

    Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tokyo. (XHTV)