Press Releases
Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Meeting
October 2, 2024
On October 2nd, commencing at 9:35 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, 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.
- At the outset, Secretary Blinken offered his congratulations to Foreign Minister Iwaya on his assumption of office. Foreign Minister Iwaya expressed his sympathies on the damage caused by the Hurricane in Southern U.S. He also stated that he would like to work closely together with Secretary Blinken to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. Alliance, which is stronger than ever.
- Foreign Minister Iwaya stated that he would like to further deepen cooperation as global partners to uphold and bolster the free and open international order based on the rule of law, amidst threats to the international order, including issues related to China, the situation regarding North Korea including the nuclear and missile issues as well as the abductions issue, the situation in the Middle East and the situation in Ukraine.
- Over the recent attack by Iran against Israel, the two Ministers expressed their serious concern about the potential escalation into a full-fledged war in the Middle East, and reaffirmed their strong condemnation of such escalation.
- The two Ministers concurred to implement cooperation to further strengthen Japan-U.S. Alliance deterrence and response capabilities, building on the outcomes of the Japan-U.S. “2+2” in July.
- The two Minister concurred to work closely together in preservation and enhancement of the rules-based economic order in the Indo-Pacific region and economic security cooperation.
- Minister Iwaya stated that he would like to further develop networks of like-minded countries, including G7, Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan-Australia-India-U.S. and Japan-U.S.-Philippines and advance such cooperation with the Global South.
- The two ministers shared the view to hold an in-person foreign ministerial meeting at an early timing.