United States and Japan Reaffirm Strong Ties and Shared Democratic Values

"Japan and the United States continue to strengthen our steadfast alliance every day, drawing on our common values and interests to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."

- U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, February 21, 2020

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Tokyo, Japan, October 5-7 to promote the U.S.-Japan Alliance as a force for transparency, accountability, openness, prosperity, and peace in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.

A SHARED VISION FOR A FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC

• The U.S.-Japan relationship is the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Our decades-long alliance is built on a foundation of shared commitment to democracy, human rights, economic development, and security, in addition to our vibrant and extensive people-to-people ties.

• The alliance is also based on vital interests and values that we hold in common, including: the maintenance of stability in the Indo-Pacific region; the preservation and promotion of political and economic freedoms; respect for human rights and support for democratic institutions; and the expansion of prosperity for the peoples of both countries and the international community as a whole.

• The United States and Japan cooperate on a broad range of global issues, including development assistance, global health, environmental and resource protection, and women's empowerment. We also work together to promote integrity in Information and Communications Technology supply chains and to ensure a secure transition to 5G networks. We collaborate broadly in science and technology, with joint initiatives that have led to new ideas and advancements in fields as varied as infectious diseases, particle physics, advanced computing, fusion plasma, materials discovery, neuroscience, space, cancer biology, and natural disaster resiliency. We are strengthening our already strong people-to-people ties in education, science, and other areas.
• Japan and the United States are also making progress toward our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region through partnerships such as the Japan-U.S. Strategic Energy Partnership (JUSEP), Japan-U.S. Strategic Digital Economy Partnership (JUSDEP), and the Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP).

ECONOMIC TIES THAT BENEFIT THE AMERICAN AND JAPANESE PEOPLE

• The U.S.-Japan bilateral economic relationship is one of strongest and broadest economic partnerships in the world and features substantial trade and investment flows. The United States and Japan are top trading partners, exchanging $300 billion worth of goods and services each year. The United States is Japan's top source of direct investment, and Japan is the top investor in the United States, with $644.7 billion invested in 2019 across all 50 states. Japanese-owned firms support 885,000 jobs in the United States. Both countries acknowledge the important role of women as drivers of economic progress in all sectors.

• The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement that entered into force on January 1, 2020, provides important new market access that benefits both the United States and Japan, including eliminating or reducing tariffs on approximately $7.2 billion in U.S. agricultural exports. The U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement that entered into force the same day includes high-standard provisions that ensure data can be transferred across borders without restrictions, guarantee consumer privacy protections, promote adherence to common principles for addressing cyber security challenges, support effective use of encryption technologies, and boost digital trade.

SECURITY COOPERATION THAT PROMOTES PEACE AND STABILITY

• For more than 60 years, the U.S.-Japan Alliance has served as the cornerstone of peace, stability, and freedom in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty of 1960 is unwavering.

• The United States and Japan continue to address shared regional and global objectives by enhancing our security cooperation within the U.S.-Japan Alliance, affirming a rules-based approach and respect for international law, including the Law of the Sea, and deepening United States, Japan, and Republic of Korea trilateral cooperation in the face of the DPRK's dangerous and illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
• The depth of the U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Japan Alliance is evidenced by the approximately 55,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan, and the thousands of Department of Defense civilians and family members who live and work alongside them. The United States has also deployed its most capable and advanced military assets to Japan, including the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.