Tokyo, Apr 17 (AFP) US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Japan today on an official visit aimed at showing solidarity with the key Asian ally in the wake of its devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Since the disaster struck on March 11, sparking an ongoing nuclear crisis, US forces have won praise for a large-scale search, rescue and relief effort that has involved some 20,000 troops and scores of ships and aircraft.
US nuclear experts have also helped with advice on stabilising the tsunami-hit Fukushima plant, where the US military has flown in coolants and deployed freshwater barges and fire engines to help douse hot reactors.
Washington is hopeful that the wider aid effort, dubbed "Operation Tomodachi" (Friend), will revive an alliance that has been strained by a lingering dispute over a military base on the southern island of Okinawa.