[Title] Joint Statement of Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka and U.S. President Nixon

1. Prime Minister Tanaka and President Nixon met in Hawaii August 31 - September 1 for wide ranging discussions on a number of topics of mutual interest. The talks were held in an atmosphere of warmth and mutual trust reflecting the long history of friendship between Japan and the United States. Both leaders expressed the hope that their meeting would mark the beginning of a new chapter in the course of developing ever closer bonds between the two countries.

2. The Prime Minister and the President reviewed the current international situation and the prospects for the relaxation of tension and peaceful solutions to current problems in the world, with particular reference to Asia. It was stressed that the maintenance and strengthening of the close ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries would continue to be an important factor for peace and stability in the evolving world situation. Both leaders reaffirmed the intention of the two governments to maintain the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the two countries, and agreed that the two governments would continue to cooperate through close consultations with a view to ensuring smooth and effective implementation of the Treaty.

3. In discussing the increasing indications for peace and stability in Asia, the Prime Minister and the President welcomed the recent opening of dialogue in the Korean Peninsula, and the increasingly active efforts of Asian countries for self-reliance and regional cooperation, and shared the hope for an early realization of peace in Indochina. The Prime Minister and the President recognized that the President's recent visits to the People's Republic of China and the USSR were a significant step forward. In this context, they shared the hope that the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister to the People's Republic of China would also serve to further the trend for the relaxation of tension in Asia.

4. The Prime Minister and the President discussed the recent agreements reached by the United States and the USSR on the limitation of ballistic missile defenses and the interim arrangement on the limitation of strategic offensive missiles, and they agreed that such measures represented an important step forward in limiting strategic arms and contributing to world peace. They agreed to consult on the need for further steps to control strategic arms.

5. The Prime Minister and the President exchanged views in a broad perspective on issues related to economic, trade and financial matters. The Prime Minister and the President emphasized the great importance of economic relations between Japan and the United States. Both leaders expressed their conviction that their talks would contribute to closer cooperation between the two countries in dealing with economic issues of a bilateral and global nature.

6. The Prime Minister and the President shared the view that fundamental reform of the international monetary system is essential. They committed their governments to work rapidly to achieve such reform. In trade, they reaffirmed the February 1972 commitments of both countries to initiate and actively support multilateral trade negotiations covering both industry and agriculture in 1973. In this connection they noted the need in the forthcoming trade negotiations to lay the basis for further trade expansion through reduction of tariff and nontariff barriers as well as formulations of a multilateral non-discriminatory safeguard mechanism.

7. The Prime Minister and the President agreed that both countries would endeavor to move towards a better equilibrium in their balance of payments and trade positions. In this regard, the President explained the measures undertaken by the United States to improve its trade and payments position and stated that the Government of the United States was urging U.S. firms to expand the volume of exports through increased productivity and improved market research, particularly to Japan. The Prime Minister indicated that the Government of Japan would also try to promote imports from the United States and that it was the intention of the Government of Japan to reduce the imbalance to a more manageable size within a reasonable period of time. The Prime Minister and the President agreed that it would be most valuable to hold future meetings at a high level to review evolving economic relationships, and that they intend to hold a meeting of the Joint United States-Japan Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs as early in 1973 as feasible.

8. The Prime Minister and the President noted the endeavors of the two countries in cooperation with other developed countries, to help bring stability and prosperity to the developing countries in Asia and other regions of the world. They acknowledged the need for adequate levels of official development assistance on appropriate terms. They also reaffirmed that the two governments intend to continue to help strengthen the international financial institutions for the purpose of economic development of the developing countries.

9. The Prime Minister and the President reaffirmed the need to promote efforts to improve the mutual understanding of the cultural, social and other backgrounds between the peoples of the two countries. They agreed further that new and improved programs of cultural and educational exchange are an important means to this end. In this connection the President underlined his high hopes for the successful activities of the Japan Foundation to be inaugurated in October this year.

lO. The Prime Minister and the President noted with satisfaction the growing momentum of cooperation between the two countries in increasingly diverse fields under the common aims of maintaining and promoting peace and prosperity of the world and the well-being of their countrymen. They agreed to strengthen and expand the already close cooperation between the two countries in controlling the illegal traffic in narcotics and other dangerous drugs, and they also agreed on the need for further bilateral and multilateral cooperation concerning the development and better utilization of energy and mineral resources and on the pressing problems of environmental protection and pollution control. They pledged to continue appropriate assistance through the UN and its specialized agencies for the solution of problems caused by too rapid population growth.

11. The Prime Minister and the President discussed cooperation in space exploration including Japan's goal of launching geostationary communications and other applications satellites. The President welcomed Japan's active interest in and study on the launching of a meteorological satellite in support of the global atmospheric research program.

12. The Prime Minister and the President expressed satisfaction with their talks and agreed to continue to maintain close personal contact.