kitazawa also met u.s. defense secretarary robert gates in han.e thanked gates for pointing out that the japan/u.s. security treaty covers the senkaku islands in the east china sea. last month gates said the u.s. will fulfill its responsibility as japan's ally following the collision incident. on other matters kitazawa said the japanese government is reviewing the ban on part of weapons exports. kitazawa also said the government has tried to make progress in the relocation plan for the u.s. marine corps futenma air station based on a bilateral agreement. >>> and defense chiefs of the united states and china also had a meeting on monday. robert gates has suggested to liang guanglie about setting up a dialogue framework so future confrontation would not lead to bilateral military ek changes. it was the first of such a meeting between the two countries in about a year. china froze military exchanges with the u.s. earlier this year to protest the u.s. decision to sell arms to taiwan. the two countries agreed last month to restore them. the two agreed