TOKYO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada have made their world debut at the UN climate change summit and bilateral meetings with foreign leaders in New York, local media reported Wednesday.

    Hatoyama pledged Tuesday at the UN summit to cut green house gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels.

    In a speech at the summit, Hatoyama said that the Japanese government is determined to attain the target by mobilizing "all possible measures," including the introduction of a domestic emissions trading system and a system to buy renewable energy at fixed prices and the possible establishment of a tax to pay for steps against global warming.

    The Japanese premier, however, argued that Japan will not be committed to realizing the 25 percent goal as a promise to the international community unless all major emitters agree on an ambitious target as well.

    Concerning support steps for developing nations, he stressed the need to "strategically increase" the amount of funds to help those countries deal with the threat as they are often vulnerable to the repercussions of global warming.

    "Japan is ready to provide the same amount of or even more financial and technological support as it has been doing," he said.

    JAPAN-CHINA TIES AND EAST ASIAN COMMUNITY

    Hatoyama also proposed the formation of an East Asian Community and called for China's cooperation in achieving that goal during talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday, the Daily Yumiuri reported Wednesday.

    During his first one-on-one meeting with Hu, Hatoyama said that the two nations need to build mutual trust while acknowledging their differences.

    And on that basis, Hatoyama proposed the formation of an East Asian Community that would include Japan, China, South Korea and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. And a common currency would be part of the East Asian Community.

    He also vowed to uphold the statement issued by the Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in 1995, which expressed remorse and apologized for Japan's colonization and military aggression during the war.

    Hatoyama also voiced his belief that "overcoming differences ineach other's stances is a diplomacy of fraternity."

　　JAPAN-U.S. ALLIANCE

    Also on Monday, Foreign Minister Okada met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

    Okada said that he has made the bases issue a priority and vowed to tackle it during his first 100 days in office.

    According to Japanese officials, Okada told Clinton that Japan wants to hold further discussions on the U.S. troop presence, including the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture.

    On other issues, Okada and Clinton agreed that the two sides should work together to cope with the nuclear issues concerning the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran, climate change and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    The top Japanese and U.S. diplomats met in New York on the sidelines of a U.N. General Assembly session and ahead of the first meeting of Hatoyama and U.S. President Barack Obama scheduled for Wednesday.

    Hatoyama left Monday for the United States to attend the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Pittsburgh. Earlier in the day, Okada departed separately for New York to attend a series of international conferences.