Readout of the President’s Call with Prime Minister Hatoyama of Japan

During the flight to Chicago this evening, President Obama and Prime Minister Hatoyama spoke by telephone to discuss North Korea, Iran, and the U.S.-Japan alliance.  The two leaders condemned the North Korean torpedo attack on the ROKS Cheonan and pledged to cooperate closely with the Republic of Korea, including in support of appropriate action by the UN Security Council.  The President and the Prime Minister called on North Korea to end its provocative behavior towards its neighbors and to abide by its commitment to eliminate its nuclear-weapons program and to fulfill its other international obligations.  The two leaders also discussed Iran.  President Obama stressed the importance of international efforts to ensure that Iran complies with its nonproliferation obligations, and the leaders agreed to continue close coordination in the UN Security Council.

President Obama and Prime Minister Hatoyama agreed that recent events in the region further underscored the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance.  They reiterated their commitment to use this 50th anniversary year to strengthen cooperation under the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Security and Cooperation.  They expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the two sides in reaching an operationally viable and politically sustainable plan to relocate the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

President Obama noted that he looked forward to seeing Prime Minister Hatoyama at the upcoming G-8 and G-20 meetings in Canada next month.