Press Releases

1. Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, will visit the United States of America from August 16 to 19. During his stay, Foreign Minister Kono is scheduled to attend a Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (2+2) Meeting. From the Japanese side, Foreign Minister Kono and Mr. Itsunori Onodera, Minister of Defense, are scheduled to attend the meeting while the Honorable Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State of the United States of America and the Honorable James Mattis, Secretary of Defense of the United States of America are scheduled to attend from the U.S. side.

2. At the 2+2 Meeting, which has not been held since April 2015, the participants will discuss issues such as responses to the increasingly severe regional security environment, the Japan-U.S. security and defense cooperation and the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, in light of the close relationship between Japan and the United States in recent years.

3. In addition, Foreign Minister Kono is scheduled to hold a Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with State Secretary Tillerson. Furthermore, Foreign Minister Kono is also scheduled to hold meetings with the Honorable Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce of the United States of America, and Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, United States Trade Representative.