Sunday’s Mainichi highlighted the disclosure by National Security Advisor Sullivan on Friday that in response to the recent summit between President Putin and DPRK Kim Jong Un, he held with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts the first-ever “contingency consultation,” whose launch was agreed upon by the three nations’ leaders at their Camp David summit in August. In reference to….Read more

Saturday’s Sankei led with a report that the U.S. Embassy in Japan is assisting scallop farmers in Hokkaido with finding new routes for exporting their products to the United States as China’s ban on Japanese seafood has made it impossible for them to send their scallops to China for sorting and packing ahead of shipment to America. According to the….Read more

Nikkei and Yomiuri reported that Prime Minister Kishida will leave for New York today to attend UN General Assembly meetings from Sept. 19 through 21, where he will call for the need for UN reform. Yomiuri added that arrangements are underway for him to also hold talks with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Kishida is expected to hold a press conference on Sept.….Read more

Saturday’s Yomiuri reported that newly appointed Foreign Minister Kamikawa will make her diplomatic debut in New York this week by attending multiple meetings with her G7 and Quad counterparts. During her stay there from Sept. 18 to 22, the Japanese official will hold separate talks with Secretary of State Blinken and the top diplomats of other partner nations in addition to….Read more

Jiji Press reported that the Commerce Department said Thursday that U.S. Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves will visit South Korea and Japan for seven days from Wednesday. Executives from 15 major U.S. corporations will accompany Graves on the Asian tour. During the trip, Graves and the business executives are expected to work on deepening the United States’ cooperation with South….Read more

All national papers reported that Foreign Minister Kamikawa and Secretary of State Blinken spoke by phone last night to discuss the regional and global situations, such as the war in Ukraine and North Korea’s nuclear and missile development. “I would like to deepen the U.S.-Japan Alliance further by building good relations with the Secretary,” Kamikawa was quoted as saying during….Read more

Yomiuri and Asahi reported that CDPJ President Izumi held a press conference in Washington on Wednesday as the final event of his six-day visit to the U.S. capital, during which he met with senior U.S. officials, including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Moy and Senator Hagerty. “I am confident that the U.S. side now regards our party as a Japanese political force….Read more

Kyodo News reported this morning that Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi will travel to Japan next week to hold talks on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) with senior officials. Kyodo said Bianchi’s four-day trip to Tokyo from Monday, announced by the Office of the Trade Representative, comes as Washington steps up efforts to make progress on the U.S.-led trade….Read more

NHK reported that CDPJ leader Izumi, who is visiting the United States for the first time since taking office, met with former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Hagerty and other members of Congress on Wednesday. The network said Izumi held a press conference on the same day, during which he said: “The CDPJ places importance on the U.S.-Japan relationship, and our….Read more

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to speak with new Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in the coming days, a State Department official said Wednesday.   “The U.S.-Japan relationship has never been stronger,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said during a press briefing. “Our alliance is a cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and across the….Read more