President Obama – America’s first Pacific President

President Obama used all his connections and traveled to Tokyo on Friday, November 13, 2009 and met with Yukio Hatoyama, the new Japanese Prime Minister. The Japanese emperor and empress joined them as well.

Obama's trip includes visits in China, Singapore and South Korea, where formal talks will occur with Asian leaders individually and in large groups. The president will meet with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Russia President Dmitry Medvedev and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and he will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Obama also will become the first U.S. president to take part in a summit, in Singapore, which is a 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic alliance.

Obama has named himself “America's first Pacific president." This was his first Asian trip in the role of the President of the United States, although, he did make reference to his boyhood visit to Japan with his mother, his birth in Hawaii and part of his childhood that he spent partly in Indonesia. Obama touched on the United States' position as a Pacific nation.

President Obama spoke to a packed house at Tokyo's Suntory Hall. His message to all Asians and Americans is that they should be aware of what is going on is Asia, as it directly affects them.  He is trying to get the important message out to American citizens that this is the place to be aware of due to risks of nuclear arms. There are extremists whose religious views could lead to attacks in their homeland and the United State’s homeland. 

It is a place where the United States exchanges many goods with in regards to importing and exporting, which if handled correctly could be mutually beneficial and create many jobs on both continents. APEC's 21 member nations represent over half of the world's economic output. Obama emphasized that the United States has no intention of attempting to try to squelch the emerging economic growth in China and assured Asia that the Pacific nation will assist in strengthening and sustaining their leadership in such a vital part of the world. In fact, the forum views its goal as "facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region." President Obama’s view was clear as he stated, “The rise of a strong, prosperous China can be a source of strength for the community of nations. And so, in Beijing and beyond, we will work to deepen our strategic and economic dialogue."

Obama did make a request of Myanmar as he asked for more definitive moves toward democracy, which he clarified, will include releasing all political prisoners. Obama advocated that North Korea consider revisiting the Six-Party Talks in order that they be reintegrated and feel more a part of the world.  Obama made it clear that he wishes to reduce the global effects of climate change and is intent on focusing on the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Obama acknowledges that the Asian-US relationship will have differences and that they are competitors in certain regards; however, it will be the goal to maximize areas where the two countries can work together. He clarified that global challenges will simply not be met if they do not do so.