Press Release

Today, Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, and Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Adrian Smith (R-NE), Co-Chairs of the U.S.-Japan Caucus, released the following statement on Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga meeting at the White House.

"We warmly welcome Japanese Prime Minister Suga on his first visit to the United States and share President Biden's prioritization of the U.S.- Japan alliance with the first state visit of his presidency. Our alliance is the cornerstone of advancing our shared values and maintaining a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific. Only together can we advance our shared goals of protecting human rights, freedom, and democracy.

Building on a foundation of 70 years of cooperation, this first visit affirms the many opportunities we have to work together on shared priorities. As we recover from the economic impacts of the COVID pandemic, deepening our bilateral economic relationship and encouraging further direct investment strengthens the resiliency that defines this alliance. As we deepen these economic ties, we also look forward to finding new opportunities to work together safeguarding maritime security, especially by ensuring freedom of navigation and commerce in the East and South China Seas. We hope to maintain high standards for the free flow of trade and global development, successfully advancing economic growth across the region. We also cherish our shared commitment to human rights and democratic freedoms, and urge both governments to take every opportunity to advance them across the region. We look forward to continuing our friendship now and into the future."