16 November 2009 0949 hrs - Hatoyama has avoided talking about who would join up, but his Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada mentioned 16 countries – the 10 countries of Southeast Asia plus Australia, India, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
The suggestion that the United States would be excluded has aroused concerns among some US and Japanese officials who fear it could jeopardise the Japan-US alliance, the bedrock of post-war security in Asia.
"Japan has relied a bit too much on the United States until now," the newly elected Hatoyama said in October after a summit with China and South Korea. "I would like to map out policies to reach out to Asia, as a country of Asia."..............
The suggestion that the United States would be excluded has aroused concerns among some US and Japanese officials who fear it could jeopardise the Japan-US alliance, the bedrock of post-war security in Asia.
"Japan has relied a bit too much on the United States until now," the newly elected Hatoyama said in October after a summit with China and South Korea. "I would like to map out policies to reach out to Asia, as a country of Asia."..............
