駐日大使候補、同盟強化誓う　「中国、分断で支配図る」―米上院公聴会

　【ワシントン時事】米上院外交委員会は２０日、バイデン米大統領が次期駐日大使に指名したラーム・エマニュエル前シカゴ市長の承認公聴会を開いた。エマニュエル氏は中国が「分断による支配を図っている」と述べ、同盟国との結束で対抗する考えを示した。「地域の結束は日米同盟の上に築かれる」と訴え、日米関係の深化が「最優先課題だ」と語った。（2021/10/21-07:39）

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. President Joe Biden's nominee for ambassador to Japan, on Wednesday vowed to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance to better counter China and deal with other regional issues.
   "For more than 60 years, the partnership between the United States and Japan has been the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific," Emanuel said in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. "If confirmed, my top priority will be to deepen these ties while we confront our common challenges."
   He also said, "The challenges and opportunities we face underscore the imperative of strengthening our bonds with our closest ally, Japan."
   Noting that "China aims to conquer through division," Emanuel underlined the need to ensure security through regional unity "built on the U.S.-Japan alliance."
   Emanuel welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's policy of not necessarily limiting his country's defense spending to 1 pct of its gross domestic product.