Japan-United States of America Relations
State Minister for Foreign Affairs KUNIMITSU’s Visit to the United States (New York)
From July 13 to 15, Dr. KUNIMITSU Ayano, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who was visiting the United States (New York), attended the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2026 Ministerial Segment and the Ministerial Roundtable of the 2026 UN Water Conference. She also held exchanges of views with international organizations and local stakeholders. The overview is as follows.
1. High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) Ministerial Segment
On July 14, State Minister KUNIMITSU delivered a statement on behalf of Japan at the Ministerial Segment, emphasizing the importance of the steady implementation of the SDGs.
2. Attendance at the Ministerial Roundtable of the 2026 UN Water Conference Co-chairs of the Interactive Dialogue and other related events
On July 13, State Minister KUNIMITSU attended the Ministerial Roundtable of the 2026 UN Water Conference Co-chairs of the Interactive Dialogues. She also attended the High-Level Ministerial Event entitled "Turning the Tide for SDG 6 and Beyond" held on the same day, as well as the High-Level Side Event entitled "Accelerating Momentum towards the 2026 UN Water Conference" on July 14. At these events, she introduced Japan's efforts toward the success of the 2026 UN Water Conference and stated Japan's commitment to working in close cooperation with other countries.
3. Exchange of views with Deputy Executive Director of UN Women Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda
On July 13, State Minister KUNIMITSU held an exchange of views with Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women. Both sides concurred to continue further cooperation in advancing gender equality, including the promotion of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the nurturing of the next generation.
4. Exchange of views with Mr. Daniel R. Russel, Distinguished Fellow for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute
On July 13, State-Minister KUNIMITSU held an exchange of views with Mr. Daniel R. Russel, Distinguished Fellow for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, on topics including Japan-U.S. relations and regional and international affairs.
5. Exchange of views with H.E. Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability
On July 14, State Minister KUNIMITSU held an exchange of views with H.E. Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability of the United Arab Emirates, on cooperation in the areas of the SDGs and water-related disaster risk reduction, as well as on coordination toward the success of the 2026 UN Water Conference.
6. Exchange of views with Dr. Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
On July 14, State Minister KUNIMITSU exchanged views with Dr. Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Both sides confirmed the importance of strengthening the resilience of vulnerable rural communities and concurred to promote collaboration with the private sector with a view to further advancing international cooperation in this field.
7. Exchange of views with Ms. Kazuyo Kato, Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) USA
On July 14, State Minister KUNIMITSU held an exchange of views with Ms. Kazuyo Kato, Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) USA, on topics including people-to-people exchanges between Japan and the United States and global challenges.
8. Visit to Expo-Related Exhibition in the United Nations Headquarters
On July 14, State Minister KUNIMITSU visited an exhibition entitled "8 Decades of Impact" at United Nations Headquarters. The exhibition, held as part of the "Expo 2025 Legacy Project" supported by the Government of Japan, showcases the 80-year history of the United Nations and the achievements of multilateral cooperation.
9. Exchange of views with Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat
On July 14, State Minister KUNIMITSU held an exchange of views with Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and explored ways to strengthen cooperation with UN-Habitat toward addressing challenges related to human settlements.