Press Releases
Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Meeting
March 24, 2022
On March 24, commencing at 7:50 pm, for about 30 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone meeting with the Honorable Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- The two ministers strongly condemned North Korea’s repeated launches of ICBM-class ballistic missiles, the latest launch in particular, and concurred on the recognition that North Korea's intensification of its nuclear and missile activities present a clear and serious challenge to the international community. The two ministers confirmed to coordinate closely between Japan and the United States as well as among Japan, the Untied States, and the Republic of Korea, and take firm measures, including at the UN Security Council, toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
- The two ministers concurred that they must not allow North Korea to be misled into believing that a window of opportunity has opened to proceed with provocative actions, especially as the international community focuses its attention on responding to Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
- The two ministers, in light of such an increasingly severe regional security environment, reaffirmed the necessity to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance, and concurred to continue close coordination between Japan and the United States.
- Furthermore, Secretary Blinken expressed his gratitude for Japan’s leadership, cooperation and coordination, in responding to the situation in Ukraine.