H. Res. 127 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 24, 2019. 

Whereas the governments and the people of the United 

States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea share comprehensive and dynamic partnerships and personal 

friendships rooted in shared interests and the common 

values of freedom, democracy, and free market economies; 

Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of 

Korea are all free societies committed to the principles of 

inclusive democracy, respect for human potential, and the 

belief that the peaceful spread of these principles will result in a safer and brighter future for all of mankind; 

Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of 

Korea are indispensable partners in tackling global challenges and have pledged significant support for efforts to 

counter violent extremism, combat the proliferation of 

weapons of mass destruction, prevent piracy, improve 

global health and energy security, promote human rights, 

address climate change, contribute to economic development around the world, and assist the victims of conflict 

and disaster worldwide; 

Whereas the governments and the people of the United 

States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea all share a 

commitment to free and open markets, high standards 
2 

•HRES 127 EH 

for the free flow of commerce and trade, and the establishment of an inclusive, transparent, and sustainable architecture for regional and global trade and development; 

Whereas the United States-Japan and the United States-Republic of Korea alliances are the foundation of regional 

stability in Asia, including against the threat posed by 

the regime in Pyongyang; 

Whereas cooperation between and among our nations spans 

economic, energy, diplomatic, security, and cultural 

spheres; 

Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic 

relations on March 31, 1854, with the signing of the 

Treaty of Peace and Amity; 

Whereas the relationship between the peoples of the United 

States and the Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea’s Chosun Dynasty, when the United States and 

Korea established diplomatic relations under the 1882 

Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation; 

Whereas 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the end of 

World War II, a conflict in which the United States and 

Japan were enemies, and the strength of the United 

States-Japan alliance is a testament to the ability of 

great countries to overcome the past and to work together to create a more secure and prosperous future; 

Whereas the United States-Korea alliance was forged in 

blood, with United States military casualties during the 

Korean War of approximately 36,574 killed and more 

than 103,284 wounded, and with Republic of Korea casualties of more than 217,000 soldiers killed, more than 

291,000 soldiers missing, and over 1,000,000 civilians 

killed or missing; 
3 

•HRES 127 EH 

Whereas, for the past 70 years, the partnership between the 

United States and Japan has played a vital role, both in 

Asia and globally, in ensuring peace, stability, and economic development; 

Whereas, approximately 50,000 United States military personnel serve in Japan, along with some of the United 

States most advanced defense assets, including the 7th 

Fleet and the USS Ronald Reagan, the only United 

States aircraft carrier to be homeported outside the 

United States; 

Whereas, since the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the 

United States and the Republic of Korea, signed in 

Washington on October 1, 1953, and ratified by the Senate on January 26, 1954, United States military personnel have maintained a continuous presence on the Korean Peninsula, and approximately 28,500 United States 

troops are stationed in the Republic of Korea in 2019; 

Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have 

stood alongside each other in the four major wars the 

United States has fought outside Korea since World War 

II—in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq; 

Whereas Japan is the fourth-largest United States trading 

partner and together with the United States represents 

30 percent of global Gross Domestic Product, and Japanese firms have invested $469,000,000,000 in the United 

States; 

Whereas, the economic relationship between the United 

States and its sixth-largest trading partner, the Republic 

of Korea, with which we have a free trade agreement, includes 358,000 jobs in the United States that are directly 

related to exports to the Republic of Korea, and has re-
4 

•HRES 127 EH 

sulted in more than $40,000,000,000 in investments by 

Korean firms in the United States; 

Whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea stand as strong 

partners of the United States in efforts to ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation, commerce, and 

overflight and to uphold respect for the rule of law and 

to oppose the use of coercion, intimidation, or force to 

change the regional or global status quo, including in the 

maritime domains of the Indo-Pacific, which are among 

the busiest waterways in the world; 

Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of 

Korea are committed to working together towards a 

world where the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 

(in this preamble referred to as the ‘‘DPRK’’) does not 

threaten global peace and security with its weapons of 

mass destruction, missile proliferation, and illicit activities, and where the DPRK respects human rights and its 

people can live in freedom; 

Whereas section 211 of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 9231; Public 

Law 114–122) expresses the sense of Congress that the 

President ‘‘should seek to strengthen high-level trilateral 

mechanisms for discussion and coordination of policy toward North Korea between the Government of the United 

States, the Government of South Korea, and the Government of Japan’’; 

Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public 

Law 115–409) underscores the importance of trilateral 

defense cooperation and enforcement of multilateral sanctions against North Korea and calls for regular consultation with Congress on the status of such efforts; 
5 

•HRES 127 EH 

Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of 

Korea have made great strides in promoting trilateral cooperation and defense partnership, including ministerial 

meetings, information sharing, and cooperation on ballistic missile defense exercises to counter North Korean 

provocations; 

Whereas the United States views the General Security of 

Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between the 

Republic of Korea and Japan as important to United 

States security interests in the region, and trilateral information sharing as a critical aspect of cooperation between our allies; 

Whereas Japanese Americans and Korean Americans have 

made invaluable contributions to the security, prosperity, 

and diversity of our Nation, including service as our 

elected representatives in the Senate and in the House of 

Representatives; and 

Whereas the United States Government looks forward to continuing to deepen our enduring partnerships with Japan 

and the Republic of Korea on economic, security, and cultural issues, as well as embracing new opportunities for 

bilateral and trilateral partnerships and cooperation on 

emerging regional and global challenges: Now, therefore, 

be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives reaffirms 

the importance of— 

(1) the vital role of the alliances between the United 

States and Japan and the United States and the Republic of Korea in promoting peace, stability, and security 

in the Indo-Pacific region, including through United 
6 

•HRES 127 EH 

States extended deterrence, and reaffirms the commitment of the United States to defend Japan, including all 

areas under the administration of Japan, under Article 

V of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the United States of America and Japan, and to 

defend the Republic of Korea under Article III of the 

Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and 

the Republic of Korea; 

(2) a constructive and forward-looking relationship 

between Japan and the Republic of Korea for United 

States diplomatic, economic, and security interests and 

for open and inclusive architecture to support the development of a secure, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific 

region; 

(3) strengthening and broadening diplomatic, economic, security, and people-to-people ties between and 

among the United States, Japan, and the Republic of 

Korea; 

(4) developing and implementing a strategy to deepen the trilateral diplomatic and security cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of 

Korea, including through diplomatic engagement, regional development, energy security, scientific and health 

partnerships, educational and cultural exchanges, missile 
7 

•HRES 127 EH 

defense, intelligence-sharing, space, cyber, and other diplomatic and defense-related initiatives; 

(5) trilateral cooperation with members of the 

United Nations Security Council and other Member 

States to fully and effectively enforce sanctions against 

the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (in this resolution referred to as the ‘‘DPRK’’) and evaluate additional and meaningful new measures toward the DPRK 

under Article 41 of the United Nations Charter; 

(6) trilateral cooperation to support and uphold a 

rules-based trade and economic order in the Indo-Pacific 

region, including the empowerment of women, which is 

vital for the prosperity of all our nations; 

(7) supporting the expansion of academic and cultural exchanges among the three nations, especially efforts to encourage Japanese and Korean students to 

study at universities in the United States, and vice 

versa, to deepen people-to-people ties; and 

(8) continued cooperation among the governments 

of the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea 

to promote human rights. 

Attest: 

Clerk.