At a joint press conference following
the Japan-U.S. Summit meeting, thetwo leaders indicated theirintention to strengthen the bilateral
partnership in various fields such as
economic security and space.

U.S. President Joe Biden and the First Lady Jill Biden welcomed the prime
minister and Mrs. KISHIDA Yuko.

PM KISHIDA’S OFFICIAL VISIT BRINGS ABOUTSTRONGER JAPAN-U.S.
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
During his official visit to the United States in April 2024, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his intention to advancecooperation between Japan and the U.S. as global partners both at the Japan-U.S. Summit meeting and in his address toa joint meeting of the U.S. Congress. At the Japan-U.S.-Philippines Summit, he also affirmed the further strengtheningof trilateral cooperation for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Prime Minister Kishida made an official visit to
the United States from April 8 to 14, the first suchtrip there by a Japanese prime minister in nine years.
In addition to attending both the Japan-U.S. Summit
meeting and the Japan-U.S.-Philippines Summit,
the prime minister addressed a joint meeting of theU.S. Congress and had a luncheon meeting with U.S.
business leaders. During these and other events in
his busy schedule, the prime minister delivered anemphatic global message asserting the kind of world
Japan and the United States, as global partners boundby a deep relationship of trust, should leave for thefuture and for the next generations to come.
On April 10, Prime Minister Kishida attended anarrival ceremony, followed by a Japan-U.S. Summit
meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. The two leaders
shared the recognition that division of the internationalsociety is deepening and facing an unprecedented
level of challenges and the view to jointly uphold andbolster the free and open international order based on
the rule of law. Prime Minister Kishida stated that witha strong determination he has been making efforts toreinforce Japan’s defense capabilities, including its
plans to increase the budget for its defense capabilities
and complementary initiatives to 2% of the GDP
in Japanese fiscal 2027 in accordance with Japan’s
National Security Strategy, as well as its decision
to possess counterstrike capabilities. In response,
President Biden reiterated his strong support for theprime minister’s initiatives. The two leaders shared
the view to expand and deepen security and defense
cooperation, including their upgrade of respective
command and control frameworks in order to enhanceinteroperability between the U.S. forces and the Japan

Self-Defense Forces.
While exchanging views on regional issues, the twoleaders reaffirmed that unilateral attempts to change thestatus quo by force or coercion are totally unacceptable
and that they will resolutely respond to them, incoordination with allies and like-minded countries.
Regarding support for Ukraine, the two leaders shared
the view that their countries will continue to closelycooperate with like-minded countries, including theG7 members.
On economic security, Prime Minister Kishida
explained that Japanese companies have madetremendous contributions to the U.S. economy
through investments and job creation. With a viewto maintaining and strengthening competitiveness inadvanced technologies, including semiconductors, AI,and quantum technology, the two leaders welcomed thematerialization of ongoing research and development
cooperation and confirmed their intention toaccelerate bilateral collaboration on establishing startup environments that promote innovation and humanresource development exchanges. Furthermore, thetwo leaders announced the shared goal for a Japanesenational to be the first non-American astronaut to landon the Moon on a future Artemis mission.
Manifesting the unwavering determination to
uphold and bolster the free and open international
order based on the rule of law, which is the basis ofglobal peace and prosperity, the two leaders issueda Joint Leaders’ Statement titled “Global Partners
for the Future” as a guideline of their determination.
At the beginning of the joint press conference that
followed their meeting, President Biden said, “Overthe last three years, the partnership between Japan andthe United States has been transformed into a truly
global partnership.” Speaking on the historical turning
point for the international community, Prime Minister
Kishida stated, “I again conveyed to President Bidenthat now is the time for Japan and the United States*https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100652147.pdf

to demonstrate their true value as global partners.” The
two leaders thus emphasized the strong relationshipbetween Japan and the U.S. (Full text: United StatesJapan Joint Leaders’ Statement “Global Partners forthe Future”*)
On April 11, in his address entitled “For the Future:
Our Global Partnership,” before a joint meeting of
the U.S. Congress, Prime Minister Kishida expressed
his respect for the United States for shaping theinternational order in the postwar world. In his
conclusion, the prime minister stated his belief thatJapan and the United States “are essential to peace...
vital to freedom...and fundamental to prosperity,”
adding that Japan is “your global partner today, andwe will be your global partner in the years ahead.”
The address was attended by many members of bothchambers of the U.S. Congress, who gave the prime
minister warm applause and standing ovations fromthe floor on numerous occasions. (See next page for an
excerpt of the speech)
That same day, Japan, the United States, and thePhilippines convened their first trilateral Summit
meeting. Cooperation among the three maritime
nations in the Pacific Ocean is indispensable to bringing
about peace, security, and economic prosperity in
the Indo-Pacific region. The three leaders discussed
a concrete way forward on trilateral cooperation invarious fields, mainly in security and the economy,
to further strengthen trilateral cooperation. Prime
Minister Kishida, President Biden, and Philippine
President Ferdinand Marcos confirmed that the JapanU.S. Alliance and the U.S.-Philippines Alliance haveprotected peace and security in the Indo-Pacific andthat the three countries would oppose and resolutely
respond to any attempts by the People’s Republic ofChina to unilaterally change the status quo by force
in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The
three leaders included in their Joint Vision Statement
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA) will provide a mannedpressurized rover for the crewed Artemis missions to the Moon by the U.S.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Preparations areunderway for the opportunity for Japanese astronauts to land on the Moon.
TOYOTA

After his visit to Washington, D.C., Prime Minister
Kishida headed to North Carolina to visit a plant that
Toyota Motor Corporation is building to produce
automotive batteries. The plant, which is slated to
become fully operational next year, will be a center forenhancing the company’s battery production capacityfor electric and hybrid vehicles. Toyota has thus far
invested 13.9 billion dollars in the plant, which thecompany expects to create more than 5,000 jobs. The
prime minister also visited a plant operated by Honda
Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd., where he was briefed on plans for a business jetthat the company will develop and manufacture. In
the previous Japan-U.S. Summit meeting, the twocountries had shared a recognition that facilitating
private sector-led two-way investment is crucial totogether lead global economic growth.
Japan and the United States have strengthened
their alliance as global partners for peace and stability
in the Asia-Pacific region. The latest official visit byPrime Minister Kishida has once again highlighted thestrength of the two countries’ alliance. As President
Biden said during the joint press conference, “Andnow, the U.S.-Japan alliance is a beacon to the entireworld.” Japan is with the United States as the twocountries continue their relentless efforts to ensurethat their global partnership drives future peace andprosperity for generations to come.

ADDRESS TO A JOINT MEETING OF THE U.S. CONGRESSKISHIDA FUMIO, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPANUkraine of today may be the East Asia of tomorrow.
Facing such rapidly changing pressures, how do we continue tosafeguard our common values?

AN EXCERPT

4. Global Partners
I want to address those Americans who feel the loneliness andexhaustion of being the country that has upheld the international
order almost singlehandedly.
Ladies and gentlemen, as the United States’ closest friend,
tomodachi, the people of Japan are with you, side by side, to assure
the survival of liberty. Not just for our people, but for all people.
You are not alone.
We are with you.
Japan has changed over the years. We have transformed ourselvesfrom a reticent ally, recovering from the devastation of World War
II, to a strong, committed ally, looking outward to the world.
Japan has transformed its national security strategy. Uncertainty
about the future stability of the Indo-Pacific region caused us tochange our policies and our very mindset.
We first became a regional partner of the United States, and now
we have become your global partner. Never has our relationshipbeen so close, our vision and approach so united.
Today, our partnership goes beyond the bilateral. Examples
include trilateral and quadrilateral cooperation among the U.S.,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, India, and the Philippines,
as well as cooperation through the G7 and with ASEAN.
From these various endeavors emerges a multi-layered regionalframework where our Alliance serves as a force multiplier. And,
together with these like-minded countries, we are working torealize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
Here in this chamber, we should have strong bipartisan support
for these efforts.

Japan believes in U.S. leadership, and we also believe in the U.S.
economy.
Japan is the number one foreign direct investor in the UnitedStates. Japanese companies have invested around 800 billion
dollars, creating almost one million American jobs.
Just yesterday, President Biden and I demonstrated ourcommitment to leading the world on the development of thenext generation of emerging technologies, such as AI, quantum,
semiconductors, biotechnology, and clean energy.
And the scope of our bilateral cooperation expands to space aswell. Yesterday, President Biden and I announced that a Japanesenational will be the first non-American astronaut to land on theMoon on a future Artemis mission.

Prime Minister Kishida held a Summit meeting with U.S. President Bidenand Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, where they agreed tostrengthen cooperation in the areas of security and the economy.

a commitment to conduct an at-sea trilateral exercise
and other maritime activities in the Indo-Pacificwithin the next year.

Regarding economic security, the Luzon Economic
Corridor will be launched under the Partnershipfor Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII),a G7-led framework that supports the buildingof infrastructure in developing countries, and thethree countries will strengthen cooperation towards
enhancing the resilience of supply chains for criticalmaterials such as semiconductors and criticalminerals. The three leaders also confirmed that they
will seek to expand their partnership on safe andsecure civil-nuclear capacity building for the sakeof promoting clean energy. (Full text: Joint Vision
Statement from the Leaders of Japan, the Philippines,
and the United States**)** https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100652855.pdf

FOR THE FUTURE : OUR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPAPRIL 11, 2024
Full Text: https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202404/11speech.html

1. Introduction
I am truly honored to speak here in this citadel of democracy
and before you, the representatives of the American people.
Since childhood, I have felt a connection to the United States,perhaps because I spent my first three years of elementary school at
PS 20 and PS 13 in Queens, New York.
After 60 years, I have a message for the good people of Queens.
Thank you for making my family and me feel so welcome.
So, I speak to you today as a long and close friend of the UnitedStates.
2. The leadership of the United States
The U.S. shaped the international order in the postwar world
through economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power.
It championed freedom and democracy.
The world needs the United States to continue playing thispivotal role in the affairs of nations.
And yet, as we meet here today, I detect an undercurrent of selfdoubt among some Americans about what your role in the world
should be.
3. New Challenges
This self-doubt is arising at a time when our world is at history’s

turning point. The post-Cold War era is already behind us, andwe are now at an inflection point that will define the next stage ofhuman history.
Freedom and democracy are currently under threat around theglobe.
Climate change has caused natural disasters, poverty, anddisplacement on a global scale. In the COVID-19 pandemic, allhumanity suffered.
Rapid advances in AI technology have resulted in a battle overthe soul of AI that is raging between its promise and its perils.
The balance of economic power is shifting. The Global South
plays a greater role in responding to challenges and opportunities
and calls for a larger voice.
Turning to Japan’s own neighborhood, China’s current external
stance and military actions present an unprecedented and thegreatest strategic challenge.
As a Hiroshima native, I have devoted my political career tobringing about a world without nuclear weapons. But there exists
an imminent danger of nuclear weapons proliferation in East Asia.
North Korea’s nuclear and missile program is a direct threat. The
issue of abductions by North Korea remains a critical issue.
Russia’s unprovoked, unjust, and brutal war of aggression
against Ukraine has entered its third year. As I often say, the5. Conclusion
I want you to know how seriously Japan takes its role as theUnited States’ closest ally.
Bonded by our beliefs, I pledge to you Japan’s firm alliance andenduring friendship.
“Global Partners for the Future.”—We are your global partner
today, and we will be your global partner in the years ahead.
Prime Minister Kishida addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.
Behind him on the left is U.S. Vice President (and President of the Senate)
Kamala Harris and on the right is Speaker of the House of Representatives
Mike Johnson.