Tokyo, Japan Interview With Japanese Reporters.

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR PRIME MINISTER OHIRA

Q. Let me begin, Mr. President, by asking your impressions of the memorial service for the late Prime Minister Ohira yesterday. What were the thoughts which came across your mind while attending the service?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, the most profound thoughts that I had were of my personal friendship with Prime Minister Ohira and the closeness that had developed between my family and his. We had been together often in some historic moments.

And I thought the funeral service, the commemorative service was very impressive, very solemn, but it expressed the genuine outpouring of respect that was felt for Prime Minister Ohira from throughout the world. Someone told me that 108 nations were represented there—

Q. That's right.

THE PRESIDENT. —at the services. And this is not only a sign of respect for him and his leadership during troubled times but also a respect for the greatness of Japan and its growing leadership throughout the world, not only economically but also politically and diplomatically.

And finally, I was reminded of the closeness of our two countries, which I think is unprecedented and which was exemplified by my closeness to him personally.

UNITED STATES-JAPANESE RELATIONS

Q. Mr. President, in a relationship so broad and complex like the relationship between Japan and the United States, there are bound to be some problems from time to time.

THE PRESIDENT. Yes.

Q. How do you see the United States dealing with current issues, including trade and defense?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, all nations in this modern world have problems, and particularly those that are in the role of a leader, as is the case with both Japan and the United States. With the skyrocketing price of energy, economic problems are a responsibility for all leaders now, but the thing to remember is not those problems, but the resolution that we have to resolve the problems, working together.

We have so much in common in the challenges and the approach to them that these common approaches and common commitments far outweigh any differences that might exist between us. We both represent dynamic, aggressive societies where people are very confident about the future, where we set the pace for other nations, and where we have never feared the meeting of a challenge with courage and conviction.

Economically, trade, we have unprecedented benefits to both our nations from the rapidly growing volume of trade. And of course, on defense our mutual security treaty is a foundation for our own ability and commitment in the Western Pacific to maintain stability and to maintain peace for all people.

We believe that this good relationship between our two countries in a competitive spirit is going to grow and that the 1980's will show even greater progress than we've seen in the 1970's, because of the common purpose of our countries, in progress and also in freedom, and our commitment to democracy and to peace. We believe, finally, that the good relationship between our two countries is very beneficial to other nations and that we have set an example of the kind of growth that can benefit both peoples in a rapidly changing technological world if those peoples share those common commitments, which I've already mentioned.

Q. Mr. President, in regard to what you are saying now, what kind of contribution would you like to have from the Japanese side to strengthen the tie of both countries?

THE PRESIDENT. With regard to what? With regard to—

Q. What kind of contribution would you like to have?

THE PRESIDENT. Oh, yes. Well, I don't have any fear of Japan pursuing its own goals and the United States pursuing its independent goals, because we have so much in common that this pursuit is mutually supportive and not contradictory. We want stability and peace throughout Asia, and our commitment to a strong defense, at some sacrifice to us, is supportive of the Japanese commitment to defend your own area and your own people. There is no problem between us in that respect.

Similarly, in the development of technology, science, research, development, education, dealing with the energy problem, meeting the challenges of Soviet aggression in Afghanistan, international terrorism exemplified by the holding of American hostages in Iran, the growth of the strength of the ASEAN group, which is a very encouraging development, the opening up of China, a vast country very important to us both, with new opportunities for trade and exchange of ideas and a common purpose, the sharing of strategic matters—all of these elements of the life of Americans is identical with the importance in the life of Japanese.

So, as we pursue our own individual goals, sharing all these problems and all these opportunities for the future, I have great confidence that the relationship between our people will be better, even, in the future than it has been in the past and that we can solve these problems together with gratification to the people of both nations.

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Q. Mr. President, now you are about to have talks with Premier Hua Guofeng of the People's Republic of China. Can you tell us at this time what you expect out of this meeting and, also, how the closer relations between the United States and China would affect Japan and the rest of the world—

THE PRESIDENT. Good.

Q. —specifically the Soviet Union?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, I don't think it would be appropriate to outline all of the subjects that we're going to discuss with Premier Hua, but I'll be seeing him in just a few minutes, as you know, across the street.

In the first place, this last 18 months since I decided to normalize relations between our country and the People's Republic of China has been one of exciting progress between our two great nations, and of course, this is a similar experience to what has been the case between Japan and the People's Republic of China.

We believe that this new development is conducive to peace and stability and progress throughout the Asian region of the world. We also see it as a means by which we can share our long-range strategic concerns to minimize the threat of the Soviet military buildup, which is exemplified most vividly by their unwarranted invasion of Afghanistan and their support of the Vietnamese invasion of Kampuchea.

We believe that this new relationship, however, should not be used by either our country or Japan, with China, against the Soviet Union. We should not combine our efforts against another nation, but we should combine our efforts to maintain peace and the freedom of each country to make its own decisions free of outside interference and certainly free of an invasion.

So, I believe in every respect the new peaceful relationship between our two countries on the one hand and China on the other is better for us all, in the matter of peace and trade and an improved, better life for our people. My guess is that 50 or 100 years from now, as historians look back on this last few years, the turning of China outward to friendship with Japan and the United States will be a major development in the lives of all people.

Q. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be with you.