IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 127 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the importance 

and vitality of the United States alliances with Japan and the Republic 

of Korea, and our trilateral cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 13, 2019 

Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. SHERMAN, and Mr. YOHO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on 

the importance and vitality of the United States alliances 

with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and our trilateral 

cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests. 

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 


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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 

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 


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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; 

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 KoVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:44 Feb 14, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR127.IH HR127

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rean 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 resulted 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 


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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; 

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 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 


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bilateral and trilateral partnerships and cooperation on 

emerging regional and global challenges: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives reaf2 firms the importance of— 

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

4 United States and Japan and the United States and 

5 the Republic of Korea in promoting peace, stability, 

6 and security in the Indo-Pacific region, including 

7 through United States extended deterrence, and re8 affirms the commitment of the United States to de9 fend Japan, including all areas under the adminis10 tration of Japan, under Article V of the Treaty of 

11 Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the 

12 United States of America and Japan, and to defend 

13 the Republic of Korea under Article III of the Mu14 tual Defense Treaty Between the United States and 

15 the Republic of Korea; 

16 (2) a constructive and forward-looking relation17 ship between Japan and the Republic of Korea for 

18 United States diplomatic, economic, and security in19 terests and for open and inclusive architecture to 

20 support the development of a secure, stable, and 

21 prosperous Indo-Pacific region; 

22 (3) strengthening and broadening diplomatic, 

23 economic, security, and people-to-people ties between 


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1 and among the United States, Japan, and the Re2 public of Korea; 

3 (4) developing and implementing a strategy to 

4 deepen the trilateral diplomatic and security co5 operation between the United States, Japan, and the 

6 Republic of Korea, including through diplomatic en7 gagement, regional development, energy security, sci8 entific and health partnerships, educational and cul9 tural exchanges, missile defense, intelligence-sharing, 

10 space, cyber, and other diplomatic and defense-re11 lated initiatives; 

12 (5) trilateral cooperation with members of the 

13 United Nations Security Council and other Member 

14 States to fully and effectively enforce sanctions 

15 against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 

16 (in this resolution referred to as the ‘‘DPRK’’) and 

17 evaluate additional and meaningful new measures to18 ward the DPRK under Article 41 of the United Na19 tions Charter; 

20 (6) trilateral cooperation to support and uphold 

21 a rules-based trade and economic order in the Indo22 Pacific region, including the empowerment of 

23 women, which is vital for the prosperity of all our 

24 nations; 


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1 (7) supporting the expansion of academic and 

2 cultural exchanges among the three nations, espe3 cially efforts to encourage Japanese and Korean stu4 dents to study at universities in the United States, 

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

6 (8) continued cooperation among the govern7 ments of the United States, Japan, and the Republic 

8 of Korea to promote human rights. 

Æ 


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