Press Releases
Foreign Minister IWAYA received a courtesy call by Lieutenant General Stephen F. Jost, Commander, U.S. Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force
October 16, 2024
On October 16th, 2024, commencing at 2:20pm, for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call from Lieutenant General Stephen F. Jost, Commander, U.S. Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force.
The overview of the courtesy call is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Iwaya welcomed Commander Jost’s appointment and arrival at Japan and stated that the Japan-U.S. alliance has become more important than ever. Minister Iwaya also stated that he would like to work closely with Commander Jost to further strengthen deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance while mitigating the impact on local communities including Okinawa. In response, Commander Jost stated that he would like to make efforts toward further strengthening deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance as well as for alliance management.
- Minister Iwaya stated that local understanding and cooperation are essential for the stable stationing of U.S. forces in Japan. Minister Iwaya also underscored the importance of preventing reccurence of incidents and accidents, ensuring safety of operations of U.S. forces in Japan, addressing environmental issues including PFOS, and mitigating noise. Both sides agreed to continue to work closely in this regard.