more over in relation to the current situation in the south china sea we once again shared the organization about the importance of the rule of law and will promote various measures with the international community. we cannot let the unilateral action to change the status quo to become known. regarding the realignment between the u.s. and japan both governments confirm that the plan to replace the facility is the only solution at a that avoids the continue use of marine corps air station. i explained that the government of japan will move forward towards while continuing dialogue with okinawa the plan's appreciation with strong determination. we confirm that the two governments are steadily

implementing the relocation of the u.s. marine corps personnel from okinawa to locations outside of japan including guam. also it is important to maintain deter rents and make an impact of u.s. forces. i ask the for cooperation of the united states explaining the position on the situation on okinawa remains unchanged. regarding the agreement of environmental stewardship of which substantial agreement has been made which confirmed our intention to continue negotiating the ancillary

document of the agreement and we would like to continue our preparations that are necessary to achieve the signing as soon as possible. through today's meeting i am confident that we were able to show both inside and outside a stronger bilateral alliance. i am looking forward that we'll work closely with the united states going forward. thank you. >> i was appointed the defense minister for the second time, and have been working on the strengthening of the japan security and also in order to strengthen the japan alliance, and now as i look back in 2011 under the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the japan

security treaty i participated in the ceremony, and after 9/11 after the terrorist attacks there were the prime minister attacks and i also took part in it. yesterday in new york i visited ground zero. and over there about 2,000 people perished, but i offered the bouquet of flowers and expressed my sense of the sympathy. now despite such a massive damage the united states is resolutely working on the illumination of terrorism in the world to the united states for such efforts express my respect and to those people who have perished the soldiers, i would like to offer my sympathies.

and tribute. now as minister of response for defense i have been coming to the united states for the first time in 14 years and i now saw a success of this historic two plus two meeting and decided that the new guidelines i'm very pleased. the greatest achievement of the two plus two meeting for the first time the revision of the guidelines has been made in 18 years in the 18-year peeled securityperiod security has changed dramatically, but something that has never changed. it is the importance of having to further strengthen japan-adjustment defense cooperation. the new guidelines look at the word in the 21st century, and security trend in the asian

pacific region and draw the cooperation in the coming decade and beyond. i believe that this will bring the japan-u.s. alliance to a new stage. in today's meeting. with respect to the realignment of the u.s. forces in japan i explained the situation. regarding this point of the realignment of u.s. forces in japan, the point that this is the only solution to avoid the indefinitely use of marine corps corps. also requesting for continued corporation for mitigating on okinawa, and we agreed that japan and the united states will continue to cooperate for

alleviation of the impact on okinawa. based upon these results we were steadfastly implement realignment of the united states forces in japan. through today's historic meeting japan-u.s. alliance has moved forward to a new stage. it has been demonstrateed. some along with the japan-u.s. summit meeting there will be a japan u.s. ministerial talks with secretary carter and me. there have been good bilateral communications, and we'll press forward too even a greater alliance and cooperation in the coming period. and lastly, i would like to make announcement about the response to nepal. my heart goes out to all the people who are affected by the

disaster. we have dispatched amid now studying the damage and needs for support and collect information. on the 27th japanese time we made the request from the nepally government, and we were dispatched at the 20-strong team of for medical assistance and disaster continues. and including the first team about 110 people willen dispatched. in addition to the relief team the goods necessary for medical relief and assistance will be transported by the air civil defense forces aircraft. in this kind of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief that is emphasized in the new guidelines. on this kind of front as well we would like to see further japan-u.s. cooperation.

thank you. >> questions now? the first question is from michael gordon of the "new york times." up. >> sir, i have questions for secretary carter for the japanese--you have been watching a live press conference with secretary of state john kerry. defense secretary ash carter and their japanese counterparts. the two gentlemen on the left. they have just announced a new agreement with the japanese government that sets out quote revisions to the u.s.-japan defense relationship. defense secretary ash carter also updated us on u.s. aid to nepal. he said that two c-17 cargo planes with supplies and personnel will be arriving shortly in nepal and more help is on its way. going back to the japanese-u.s. defense agreement, let's go to

mike viqueira who is in washington, d.c. what is significant about these guidelines. >> we focus on people around the world, recently in the middle east and the current events unfolding in nepal but there is no shortage of upheaval and change in east asia and heightening tensions with every moment. mostly because of an ascended china. north korea doing what north korea does. the new york arm north korea destabilizing the entire region and a japan that has been weak quickcally for quite some time. and japan quite in terms of the security. i've done a lot of reporting and research on this here. the japan japan is only tasked with defending the japanese islands. itthere are some 40,000 american troops that have been in japan

at various air bases marine bases. you heard of the controversial one in okinawa. you heard of where they're thinking of moving to guam because of local concerns of the behavior and growing noise there. but it has come to the head over the islands that is nothing more than a pile of rocks the japanese call them the season can you could you islands. --they call them the senkaku islands, and japan will defend them if it comes to a fight with china. that has many on edge. this is a huge deal in japan.

this legacy has lasted 70 years since 1945, since the end of the war. since the united states largely defeated japan and since the hiroshima and we're about to commemorate those vanes as well. this is a huge step for japan. >> japan has taken a pacifist self-defense posture for the last 70 years. is this, mike, this revision of guidelines a step towards that posture actually evolving? could we see less of a self defense and more of a possibility of a preemptive strike or some type of that situation involving japanese forces? >> you know, again given my experience in covering japan and

working for a japanese broadcaster for quite some time it's hard for me to imagine. i think the mindset in japan if you will, is still one where they do not want to become involved in overseas entanglements. and what is being proposed, remember the japanese diet legislature still has to sign off on what is being proposed. there is not expected to be a major problem there but we've heard over and over again from japanese officials over the course of the last several weeks this agreement has taken shape that they do not expect to be engaged in any sort of overseas adventurism, whatever you want to call t to be proactive in terms of the military and how it's going to be used. this is strictly here for regional issues to deal with north korea and it's unpredictable. to deal with china, which has caused great anxiety around the region and something that the united states has encouraged

even though there is a profit to asia that president obama has talked about for quite some time there are many in the region who think that the united states is not committed to that, they have their doubts. this is the result of what they're thinking and the anxiety that japan is feeling towards the situation. >> and of course, this sets the stage for obama's meeting with prime minister abe. what else is on their agenda? >> well, it's a big deal. the foremost thing that will be on the agenda, of course, is the emerging trade deal with the asia pacific. now they don't expect a breakthrough with that. it's called the tpp still controversial in japan and controversial, stephanie over many of the reasons that have sort of haunted u.s.-japan trade talks for decades. agriculture, rice and beef, sacrosanct in japan.

they are many businesses mom and pop that are part of their cultural. you go to japan and it's hard to find an american car on the street. you could have taken george w.h. bush's sound bite. they're still saying the same thing. but the negotiations between the united states and japan are the linchpin of that. they're said to be close. the president has plenty of opposition on his side of the pacific in the form of members of his own party the liberal wing the pro labor wing led by elizabeth warren who is dead set against this, but that's the principle item on the agenda. there is the arrival with the pomp and ceremony and then a state dinner with prime minister abe who will also travel to boston, san francisco and

chicago. on this visit. >> thank you so much. as we're talking about the other big story we're talking about is the earthquake in nepal. we're learning that the death toll has surpassed 4,000 people and that number is likely to rise even higher as crews reach remote villages. it is now evening and people are still working to pull people out of the republic. right now more than 100 americans are among the missing at least 6500 people are injured. al jazeera reports from kathmandu. >> the figure and some government figures have already suggested that the number will top 1,000 by the end of the day. but they're not confirming that yet. and they dig quite deep and that's where most of the fatalities are. we expect that number to rise can dramatically as we get to

the countryside and to the villages as they're unable to report. we've seen india and pakistan come together forefront the two countries that have a lot of experience in this sort of catastrophe. but when i arrived earlier in the morning here i saw military aircraft from china. also from japan as well as industry lane can. region at effort very much focused in on the kathmandu airport. it is a very small airport and therefore giving priority given to aircraft with rescue personnel and aid from ngos. i was talking with a senior dutch diplomat who is part of the combined european union effort. he's organizing and trying to sort out a large contingent of dutch rescue and recovery of dutch personnel. sniffer dogs will be centered in the region. that's just part of what the

european union are sending in. we have four large aftershocks overnight and into this morning as well. tremors that make people nervous. tremors that make the international airport the only real viable focus and location for people to come in and out of the country comes to a stop when there is an earthquake. >> reporting from the scene and u.s. is part of the international rescue effort under way in nepal as we've said. so far it has sent 70 personnel and 45 tons of cargo. and as we mentioned more is on the way. emergency workers say that the biggest challenge is reaching those remote villages. subina sthes files this report. >> at least 20 people have died just in this area. there is a cluster of old houses which all came tumble down. around six people were bury under here.

they were all cremated yesterday. now the entire village is not only in shock but they're quite angry because of the lack of services from the government. this gentleman over here,. >> can you tell us what kind of help you received from the government? >> so far we have not received anything from the government. we had armed police come with tarps and that's all. search living outside. nobody is in the village. not even dogs are in the village. >> earlier we had found some government vehicles trying to pass and the locals are so angry that they were not allowing government vehicles to pass through. >> i brought some relief, but i will give you three packets for here. >> they just found out that the relief material over here is not actually for this village and the locals are refuseing to allow anyone to pass through. they want the relief materials

for this area. everyone is saying that they're hungry tired thirsty and they want relief now. and they're expressing concern about how--if this village which is just a few kilometers outside of the city is suffering like this, the fate of many other mountainous areas is unknown. al jazeera. kathmandu. >> here in the u.s. funeral services for freddie gray are under way. you are looking live in baltimore as family and friends of the 25-year-old pay their final respects. gray died a week ago while in the custody of baltimore police. his death has sparked protest across the city. we'll be back with more news right after this.

al jazeera america gives you the total news experience anytime, anywhere. more on every screen. digital, mobile, social. visit aljazeera.com. follow @ajam on twitter. and like aljazeera america on facebook for more stories, more access, more conversations. so you don't just stay on top of the news, go deeper and get more perspectives on every issue. al jazeera america. >> you u.n. secretary ban ki-moon addressing the causes

may be the hardest part. >> these are good times for the family. he's 18-year-old son has been kidnapped by smugglers in libya. he said he was trying to reach europe in certain of a better life. they cannot raise the $5,000 ransom. >> sometimes i feel like i lost my sanity. you can only imagine how you feel when your child calls you and is threatened with death notice you pay up. it's sad. even if we pay the money, we have no guarantee that my child will survive the journey. >> he said that the smuggleers-- >> i don't call them smugglers. i call them butchers. they

don't care about the lives of the migrants. they won't think twice about killing people. i was only released after my mother sold our plot to raise the ransom that they were asking for. >> many of the youth are desperate to migrate. it's little wonder that thousands chance to go on the perilous journey that will take them to reach the boat. >> they have been forced to return several times. he said he'll try to leave again. >> it's quite demeaning if you can't even have one good meal a day. i have no hope. >> the government said it's

committed to reducing youth unemployment and will use investments that will keep youth in their homeland. >> soldiers in chile are cleaning up ash after several volcanic eruptions and they have to do it fast. almost 70 million cube be feet of ash has skewed from the calbuco volcano and it may still erupt again. we'll be right back.

a group of pro-russian >> yemen's foreign minister is rejecting a call for peace talks. he said there will be no dialogue with houthi rebels unless they withdraw. dozens of u.s. have had their passports revoked. >> it's really rather incredible because it's one man against the state department. you have a situation here where a yemeni-american and citizen since 1978. he has gone back to yemen in ordering to through the paperwork to bring his youngest daughter back to the united states. he's at the embassy and the next thing he knows they have taken his passport, they won't give it back, and he's left stranded in yemen.

>> i felt devastated. i never would have expected this to happen. it didn't make sense. i didn't understand what motivated them to do this. what they said felt like empty words. i don't know what they were thinking. >> when you're abroad you're at your most vulnerable state. those going to the embassy seeking assistance are easy targets for law enforcement officials there. >> now he received an one-way travel document back to the united states. he's here without a passport, unable to leave the country to travel for work or for fun. so he has filed a law enforcement. and it comes on the heels of those who have filed on the yes hen my government.

>> secretary of state john kerry and defense secretary ash carter meet with their japanese counterparts who help to develop new guidelines for japan's military. paying their last respects, mourners come out for the funeral of freddie gray as questions linger over his death. and any pal dealing with aftershocks as the death toll rises.