Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Kishida by U.S. Vice President Harris and Dinner hosted by Prime Minister Kishida for the U.S. delegation for the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Abe

 

On September 26, commencing at 5:30 p.m., for 40 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, received a courtesy call from the Honorable Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America, who was visiting Japan to attend the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Abe. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows. Also, following the courtesy call, commencing at 6:25 p.m., for 60 minutes, Prime Minister Kishida held a dinner with the U.S. delegation for the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Abe that headed by Vice President Harris, and remembered the deceased.
 
1. Vice President Harris once again offered her condolences on the passing of former Prime Minister Abe, and stated that it is an great honor for her to lead the U.S. delegation to the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Abe, which the former Prime Minister, an outstanding global leader and an unwavering champion of the Japan-U.S. Alliance, deserves, and that she appreciated Prime Minister Kishida's efforts to bring the global community together in Tokyo to recognize the accomplishments of former Prime Minister Abe and to mourn his tragic assassination. In response, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his gratitude for sympathies from Vice President Harris, including her attendance to the State Funeral. In addition, the two sides concurred to continue close coordination between Japan and the U.S. toward further strengthening the Japan-U.S. Alliance and realizing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe.
 
2. The two sides exchanged their views on regional issues, such as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, China, and North Korea. In addition, the two sides concurred to continue close coordination between Japan and the U.S., in strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance, engaging in the Indo-Pacific region in a sustained manner, and reaching out to middle-ground countries, in order not to allow unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the region. The two sides also shared serious concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and missile activities, including the ballistic missile launch on September 25. Prime Minister Kishida asked for full understanding and cooperation again for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue, and gained support from Vice President Harris.
 
3. The two sides shared the recognition that engagement of the U.S. in the economic order in the region is becoming increasingly important. Prime Minister Kishida, from a strategic perspective, urged the U.S. to return to the TPP at an early time, while confirming close coordination on IPEF.
 
4. The two sides concurred to further strengthen cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in the area of outer space. In this regard, the two sides welcomed that Japan and the U.S. neared the conclusion of negotiations of the “Framework Agreement for cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space.”
 
5. Prime Minister Kishida commended President Biden’s mentioning of Security Council reform in his statement at the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly, and the two sides confirmed continuing to work together.
 
6. The two sides concurred to continue close coordination between Japan and the U.S. for the G7 Hiroshima Summit next year.
 
  (Reference)The U.S. delegation for the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Abe
 
(1) The Honorable Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America
(2) The Honorable Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan
(3) The Honorable Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative
(4) The Honorable William Hagerty, United States Senator（Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan）
(5) The Honorable Dr. Philip Gordon, Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs
(6) Admiral Michael Mullen, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(7) The Honorable Caroline Kennedy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Commonwealth of Australia（Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan）
(8) The Honorable Thomas Schieffer, Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan
(9) The Honorable John Roos, Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan
(10) The Honorable Richard Armitage, Former Deputy Secretary of State