Press Releases
Courtesy Call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Fujii by Admiral Houston, Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program
January 29, 2025
On January 29, commencing at 17:00 for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. FUJII Hisayuki, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call from Admiral William J. Houston, Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, during his visit to Japan. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows:
- At the outset, State Minister Fujii expressed congratulations on the inauguration of President Trump. He stated that it is crucial to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US Alliance as the security environment surrounding Japan becomes increasingly severe and that Japan highly values Admiral Houston’s leadership.
- Both sides shared the view on the importance of maintaining a robust presence of the US Navy, including the forward-deployment of USS George Washington. State Minister Fujii requested to maintain high-level safety for nuclear-powered vessels and expressed his hope that cordial relations between local communities, such as the city of Yokosuka, and the US Navy will be continued and strengthened.
- In response, Admiral Houston assured that high-level safety for nuclear-powered vessels will be maintained. He also expressed his determination that the US Navy is ready to further promote cooperative ties with local communities, including collaboration for the Japan-US Annual Joint Response Drill, which was successfully held in the city of Yokosuka at the end of last year.
- In addition, both sides exchanged views on future Japan-US cooperation, taking into consideration the current security environment.