Ambassador of Japan to the United States of America
June 25, 2024
It has been six months since I arrived in Washington, D.C., on December 1, 2023.
Although it has been less than ten years since my previous tenure in Washington, I feel that Japan's standing in the U.S. has risen significantly. During this period, the Japan-U.S. relationship has evolved beyond a close bilateral relationship into a partnership for regional peace and stability, pursuing the shared vision of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific." Furthermore, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and through the leadership Japan provided during its G7 presidency last year, we have become partners based on mutual trust in addressing various challenges facing the international community. Our economic relationship has also become even more important, with Japan becoming the largest investor in the U.S. since 2019 and Japanese companies in the U.S. creating approximately one million jobs
Prime Minister Kishida’s official visit to the U.S. in April was a significant event symbolizing the unprecedented strength of the Japan-U.S. relationship. The Japan-U.S. Joint Leaders' Statement, issued after the summit meeting with President Biden, was subtitled "Global Partners for the Future," highlighting the extensive cooperation between Japan and the U.S. across a broad range of fields and marking the transformation of our relationship into a "Global Partnership." Prime Minister Kishida also addressed a Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress, the second time for a Japanese prime minister, and participated in the first-ever trilateral summit meeting between Japan, the U.S., and the Philippines. Additionally, Prime Minister Kishida went to North Carolina, where he visited Japanese companies operating there and other places.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Prime Minister Kishida Visits the United States of America (April 8-14, 2024))
The latter half of this year will be a crucial period with the upcoming presidential election. We will closely monitor the election in collaboration with Japanese Consulate Generals and Consular Offices across the U.S. and work to further enhance relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
Going forward, the entire Embassy will take an all hand-on-deck approach in ensuring the safety of Japanese residents and supporting the activities of Japanese companies, while striving to further develop Japan-U.S. relations. We would greatly appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
Shigeo Yamada