We look forward to a good outcome. We have accomplished a lot so far in these discussions and we hope to conclude something here pretty quick.

We understand that this is a business issue, a commercial issue and a very personal issue. We hope that people can look at all sides of this issue.

The US government is committed to working together with the government of Japan to address these concerns.

If we're not able to resolve this issue fairly soon, I am very, very concerned that the United States Congress will lose its patience, and we could set off a trade war as a result of this issue.

It is sometimes difficult for Americans to understand how Japan will fund programs like missile defense if it continues to adhere to the de facto constraints of the 1-percent cap on defense spending.

We want the Japanese-American alliance to be a global alliance that will contribute to the peace and stability of the international community, as it has contributed to the peace and stability of Asia.