H. Res. 349 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

November 18, 2020. 

Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic 

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

Treaty of Peace and Amity; 

Whereas for more than the past 70 years, the partnership between the United States and Japan has played a vital 

role in ensuring peace, stability, and economic development in Asia and beyond; 

Whereas the United States and Japan are deeply committed 

to the common values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, 

and free market economies; 

Whereas the current United States-Japan alliance, forged 

over six decades ago with the signing of the Treaty of 

Mutual Cooperation and Security, is the cornerstone for 

stability and prosperity of Japan and for the Indo-Pacific 

region, and plays a key role in global peace and stability; 

Whereas the United States and Japan are indispensable partners in combating the proliferation of weapons of mass 

destruction, improving global health, countering human 

trafficking and promoting human rights, assisting the 

victims of conflict and disaster worldwide, and contributing to global economic development; 
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Whereas the United States and Japan have worked closely 

during the COVID–19 pandemic to safely repatriate our 

respective citizens home and to strengthen our collaboration on global health research and development through 

partnerships such as the United States-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program; 

Whereas the United States and Japan are partnering to promote infrastructure investments around the Indo-Pacific 

that ensure openness, transparency, economic efficiency, 

and debt sustainability, including through the United 

States-Japan Mekong Power partnership and the United 

States-Japan Strategic Energy Partnership; 

Whereas the United States, Japan, and Australia announced 

in November 2019 the establishment of a Blue Dot Network that will promote transparent and quality infrastructure projects that align with the G20 Principles for 

Quality Infrastructure Investment; 

Whereas the alliance is a testament to the ability of great nations to overcome the past and jointly work to create a 

more secure and prosperous future; 

Whereas approximately 54,000 United States troops are stationed in Japan and the Japanese Government makes 

substantial financial commitments to the maintenance of 

United States forces in Japan under the Special Measures Agreement and other contributions that directly support operational readiness of United States forces in 

Japan; 

Whereas the current United States-Japan Special Measures 

Agreement is set to expire in March 2021, and the two 

countries launched working-level negotiations on a new 

cost-sharing agreement in October 2020; 
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Whereas, in October 2020, the United States, Australia, 

India, and Japan continued their ongoing cooperation 

through the quad framework and discussed collective efforts to collaborate on COVID–19 pandemic response, 

maritime security, cybersecurity, quality infrastructure, 

counterterrorism, and other areas; 

Whereas our two countries, coming from different cultural 

backgrounds, have created an active and dynamic relationship beneficial to both peoples; and 

Whereas cultural and people-to-people ties between the 

United States and Japan are long-standing and deep, as 

exemplified by the gift of the beautiful cherry trees that 

dot our nation’s capital from the People of Japan to the 

People of the United States in 1912, signifying the affection and respect between the two nations: Now, therefore, 

be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) reaffirms the vital role of the United StatesJapan alliance in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond; 

(2) supports the conclusion of an equitable, new 

United States-Japan Special Measures Agreement that 

is negotiated based on our shared national interests, 

prior to the expiration of the current agreement; 

(3) supports cooperation between the United States, 

Japan, and other like-minded partners to promote highquality infrastructure, energy, and development projects 

that are open, transparent, and sustainable; 
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(4) underscores the importance of the close peopleto-people and cultural ties between our two nations; 

(5) calls for the continued robust cooperation between the United States and Japan in the global fight 

against COVID–19, and supports the Japanese Government’s commitment to hosting the Olympic Games in 

2021; 

(6) calls for the strengthening and broadening of 

diplomatic, economic, and security ties between the 

United States and Japan; 

(7) reaffirms the vital role of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue as a platform to facilitate further collaboration between the United States, Australia, India, 

and Japan on matters related to protecting freedom of 

navigation and promoting democratic values in the IndoPacific; and 

(8) calls for the continued cooperation between the 

Governments of the United States and Japan in addressing global challenges that threaten the security of people 

everywhere in the ‘‘Reiwa’’ era of Japan, which the Japanese Government translates as ‘‘beautiful harmony’’. 

Attest: 

Clerk.