|
President
Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru held their first official
meeting today in Washington, D.C., where they affirmed their determination to
pursue a new golden age for U.S.-Japan relations that upholds a free and open
Indo-Pacific and brings peace and prosperity to a violent and disorderly
world.
U.S.-Japan Cooperation for Peace
The two leaders expressed their shared desire for bilateral security and
defense cooperation under the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and
Security to grow stronger than ever, and emphasized that the U.S.-Japan
Alliance remains the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the
Indo-Pacific and beyond. Japan reiterated its unwavering commitment to
fundamentally reinforce its own defense capabilities, which the United States
welcomed.
The United States underscored its unwavering commitment to the defense of
Japan, using its full range of capabilities, including nuclear capabilities.
The two leaders reaffirmed that Article V of the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual
Cooperation and Security applies to the Senkaku Islands, and reiterated their
strong opposition to any action that seeks to undermine Japan’s longstanding
and peaceful administration of the Senkaku Islands.
In line with the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and the
U.S.-Japan Guidelines for Defense Cooperation, Japan reaffirmed its role in
maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region by seamlessly
responding to any situation from peacetime to contingencies. This has been
further enabled by Japan’s 2015 Legislation for Peace and Security, which
enhances U.S.-Japan Alliance deterrence and response capabilities.
In order to address an increasingly severe and complex security environment,
the two leaders confirmed that they intend to further strengthen U.S.-Japan
deterrence and response capabilities by enhancing defense and security
cooperation, including by upgrading the respective command and control
frameworks of U.S. and Japanese forces, increasing bilateral presence in
Japan’s Southwest Islands, increasing readiness through more realistic training
and exercises, further enhancing U.S. extended deterrence, and promoting
defense equipment and technology cooperation, including co-production,
co-development, and co-sustainment that bolsters allied supply chains and
strengthens U.S. and Japanese defense industrial capacity, including maritime.
The United States and Japan intend to continue their strong partnership in
civil space and on aeronautics, science, and human exploration, including on
the upcoming Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station that includes
U.S. and Japanese astronauts as well as lunar surface exploration on future Artemis
missions. The United States and Japan also intend to expand bilateral security
cooperation in cyberspace by leveraging new technologies such as artificial
intelligence and secure and resilient cloud services to deepen
information-sharing. The United States welcomed Japan’s commitment, underpinned
by a favorable trend of its defense budget increase, to building capabilities
by FY 2027 to consolidate its primary responsibility for defending Japan, and,
building on this significant foundation, to fundamentally reinforcing its
defense capabilities beyond FY 2027.
In order to maintain deterrence and mitigate the impact on local communities,
the two leaders confirmed the vital importance of the steady implementation of
the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan in accordance with the Okinawa
Consolidation Plan, including the construction of the Futenma Replacement
Facility at Henoko and the return of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma.
The two leaders instructed their foreign and defense ministers to convene a
Security Consultative Committee (SCC: “2+2”) meeting at an early date to
implement the above-mentioned cooperation in an expeditious manner.
U.S.-Japan Cooperation for Growth and Prosperity
The two leaders affirmed that bilateral economic cooperation, including on
economic security, forms an indispensable part of Alliance cooperation. As
close economic partners, the United States and Japan provide the largest amount
of foreign direct investment and create high quality jobs in each other’s countries.
Industries of both countries continue to play a vital role for each other’s
supply chains.
To chart an unwavering course for strengthening economic ties and elevating the
economic partnership to the next level, the two leaders will seek to: promote
business opportunities and significantly increase bilateral investment and
employment; strengthen their industrial bases and collaborate to lead the world
in developing critical technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and
leading-edge semiconductors; enhance efforts to counter and build resilience
against economic coercion; and jointly promote growth in the Indo-Pacific
region underpinned by a free and fair economic order. They also resolved to
continue discussions on aligning policies to further promote and protect
critical and sensitive technologies, including through export controls, and to
enhance supply chain resilience. With a shared commitment to the integrity of
travel systems that underpin economic prosperity, they intend to strengthen efforts
to vet travelers and routinely and securely share information to combat
technology theft, travel by criminals, and illegal immigration.
The two leaders announced their intention to strengthen energy security by
unleashing the United States’ affordable and reliable energy and natural
resources, and by increasing exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas to Japan in
a mutually beneficial manner. They also welcomed efforts to diversify critical
minerals supply chains and to collaborate on developing and deploying
cutting-edge small modular reactor and other advanced nuclear reactor
technology.
The two leaders instructed their relevant ministers in charge to strengthen
U.S.-Japan economic cooperation to achieve these shared goals.
U.S.-Japan Coordination in the Indo-Pacific
The two leaders shared views on the severe and complex security environment and
expressed their determination to continuously cooperate to realize a free and
open Indo-Pacific. As part of such cooperation, the two leaders intend to
advance multilayered and aligned cooperation among like-minded countries,
including Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad), Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea
(ROK), Japan-U.S.-Australia, and Japan-U.S.-Philippines. Through these
relationships, the United States, Japan, and like-minded partners can deliver
high quality infrastructure investments in the region, including the deployment
of Open Radio Access Networks in third countries.
The two leaders reiterated their strong opposition to any attempts by the
People’s Republic of China (PRC) to change the status quo by force or coercion
in the East China Sea. The two leaders reaffirmed their strong opposition to
the PRC’s unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and
threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability
across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity
for the international community. They encouraged the peaceful resolution of
cross-Strait issues, and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status
quo by force or coercion. The two leaders also expressed support for Taiwan’s
meaningful participation in international organizations.
The two leaders expressed their serious concerns over and the need to
address the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK’s) nuclear and
missile programs and reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete
denuclearization of the DPRK. Both countries underscored the need to deter and
counter the DPRK’s malicious cyber activities and the DPRK’s increasing
military cooperation with Russia. In addition, both countries affirmed the
importance of the Japan-U.S.-ROK trilateral partnership in responding to the
DPRK and upholding regional peace and prosperity. Japan reiterated its
determination to achieve an immediate resolution of the abductions issue, which
the United States supported.
Invitation to Visit Japan
President Trump accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Ishiba for an
official visit to Japan in the near future.
|
