Incoming prime minister reassures US of alliance

Japan’s incoming prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, reassured U.S. leaders Thursday that their security alliance remains the foundation of its foreign policy, despite pre-election promises that Tokyo would seek a more independent path.

Hatoyama’s Democratic Party of Japan, meanwhile, neared an agreement with two smaller parties Thursday on launching a coalition to push aside the outgoing Liberal Democratic Party and set a new course for the world’s second-largest economy.

The party won 308 of the 480 seats in the powerful lower house of parliament in Sunday’s elections. The landslide victory ended decades of rule by the Liberal Democrats.

Hatoyama, to be installed as premier on Sept. 16, spoke with President Barack Obama by telephone early Thursday and then paid a visit to Washington’s new ambassador to Japan.

Hatoyama assured Obama the U.S.-Japan security alliance remains the “foundation” of Japan’s foreign policy.

“The talks were cordial,” Hatoyama told reporters Thursday. “I think we will have good relations.”