Japan-United States of America Relations
Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by Deputy Secretary of State of the United States Tony Blinken
On February 13, commencing at 6 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from Mr. Tony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, during his visit to Japan. The overview is as follows.
1. Prime Minister Abe expressed his condolences over the death of U.S. national Kayla Mueller, who was captured by ISIL, and his appreciation for the cooperation and solidarity in connection with the murder of the Japanese hostages. He further explained that Japan will never succumb to terrorism, and will continue to contribute to the peace and stability of the Middle East region together with the United States. In response, Deputy Secretary of State Blinken expressed his condolences over the murder of the Japanese hostages, and his appreciation for Japan’s efforts to the peace and stability in a region far from its shores, and applauded Prime Minister Abe’s resolve.
2. Both sides shared the recognition that they will cooperate for the success of Prime Minister Abe’s official visit to the United States this year.
3. In addition, both sides also exchanged views on the Japan-U.S. bilateral relations and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, and shared the recognition that Japan and the United States will continue to work closely together on the challenges facing the region and the international community.