Readout of Vice President Harris’s Meeting with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

 Readout of Vice President Harris’s Meeting with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

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STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

Vice President Kamala Harris today met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Tokyo, Japan. The Vice President conveyed condolences over the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and they discussed his legacy in advance of tomorrow’s state funeral, for which the Vice President is leading the U.S. Presidential Delegation. The Vice President praised former Prime Minister Abe as a champion of the U.S.-Japan Alliance and a free and open Indo-Pacific, and affirmed the United States’ commitment to continue building on that legacy.

 

The Vice President underscored that the U.S.-Japan Alliance is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and they discussed efforts to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Japan’s defense. They discussed the People’s Republic of China’s recent aggressive and irresponsible provocations in the Taiwan Strait, and reaffirmed the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The leaders condemned recent ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and pledged to work together to address the threats posed by DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic weapons program. They discussed the importance of resolving the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by the DPRK. The Vice President welcomed our growing space cooperation, across commercial, civil, and security sectors, and discussed opportunities to expand our partnership in these areas. In particular, they discussed the need to develop international rules and norms and finalize foundational documents to govern bilateral space cooperation.  

 

The Vice President thanked the Prime Minister for Japan’s leadership on regional and global issues. The Vice President and the Prime Minister reviewed recent developments regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Vice President recognized the Prime Minister’s decisive action to ensure Russia is held accountable. They emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Latin America. The Vice President underscored the benefits of U.S-Japan-Republic of Korea trilateral cooperation given our shared security concerns and welcomed progress toward closer Japan-Republic of Korea bilateral ties.

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