While 52 percent of Japanese people do not trust the US government, 59 percent of US citizens think of Tokyo as trustworthy, a joint public perception survey by Kyodo News and the Associated Press found Sunday.

The survey, conducted earlier this month to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, covered 1,045 respondents aged 20 or older in Japan and 1,000 aged 18 or older in the United States.

Japanese distrust of the United States has risen 26 percentage points from a similar survey conducted in 1991 shortly after the Gulf War. The figure reflects rising concern about the unilateralism of US President George W. Bush's administration on foreign and security policy as seen in the Iraq war.

Those in the United States who have "very" or "somewhat" favorable views toward Japan accounted for 81 percent, exceeding the 68 percent of Japanese who indicated the same attitude toward the United States.

Most respondents on both sides think bilateral relations will remain intact over the next several years, while only 25 percent of the US and 3 percent of the Japanese respondents believe ties between the two countries will improve.

A difference of opinion was seen in the question on US militarybases in Japan, which are a subject in bilateral realignment talks.

Of US respondents, 74 percent said the military presence shouldbe maintained and 22 percent said it should be removed. Of Japanese respondents, 47 percent said it should be maintained while another 47 percent said it should be removed.

On the Iraq issue, 56 percent of Japanese respondents and 55 percent of US respondents indicated negative views about their governments' handling of the country.

In the economic field, 54 percent of Japanese respondents said the United States is the most important partner, while China was indicated as the most important economic partner for the United States, with 39 percent of US respondents choosing it, followed byJapan at 18 percent.

Source: Xinhua