Press Releases
Foreign Minister IWAYA received a courtesy call by Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
October 7, 2024
On October 7, 2024, commencing at 6:30pm, for approximately 20minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call from Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, during his visit to Japan. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows.
- At the outset, Foreign Minister Iwaya welcomed the visit of Admiral Paparo to Japan, and expressed his gratitude for Commander’s significant contribution to the Japan-U.S. Alliance and the regular activities of the Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. forces Japan. Minister Iwaya stated that he had recently assumed the office of Minister for Foreign Affairs and that the importance of the Japan-U.S. Alliance has never been higher amidst an increasingly severe security environment, and it is important to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law. He also stated that he intends to work in close coordination with Commander Paparo to further strengthen Alliance deterrence and response capabilities, while mitigating the impact on local communities including Okinawa.
- In response, Admiral Paparo offered his congratulations to Foreign Minister Iwaya on his assumption of office and stated the Japan-U.S. Alliance is the cornerstone of peace and security not only for Japan, but also for the region as a whole. He also stated that he would like to cooperate with Japan to achieve a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific."