Japan-United States of America Relations

On August 29, commencing at shortly after 9 a.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a telephone talk with the Honorable Rex W. Tillerson, Secretary of State of the United States of America. The overview of the talk is as follows.

1. Minister Kono stated that the ballistic missile launched by North Korea today flew over Japan and the launch poses a much more serious level of threat than North Korea’s previous launches did, and constitutes an unprecedented, grave and serious threat to the security of Japan. In response, Secretary Tillerson agreed that today’s launch of a missile that flew over Japan represented a grave threat.  
2. The two ministers shared the view that North Korea’s successive provocations are absolutely intolerable, and then confirmed that the international community needs to further strengthen its pressure on North Korea, that Japan and the United States demonstrate a firm stance towards North Korea, that the two countries continue to coordinate closely between Japan – U.S. and among Japan – U.S. – ROK, including at the United Nations in order to lead the international community’s efforts to apply　greater pressure on North Korea, and that the two countries continue to call on China and Russia to fulfill a larger role. 
3. Secretary Tillerson also stated that the U.S. commitment to Japan’s defense is unwavering.