Kishida, Hagerty Stress Importance of Japan-U.S. Cooperation; Bond Will Remain Even When Leaderships Change

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:48 JST, August 31, 2024

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with former U.S. Ambassador to Japan and Senator William Hagerty at the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday to reaffirm the importance of Japan-U.S. cooperation in addressing issues related to China and North Korea.

During the meeting, Kishida emphasized that the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance remains unwavering. He called for continued cooperation to maintain and bolster peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and international society.

Known as being a close associate of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Hagerty stressed that the bond between Japan and the United States will remain unchanged, regardless of who leads either nation, with the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party leadership election in September and the U.S. presidential election in November in mind.

Hagerty and his delegation on the same day also met with Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Akira Amari, former secretary general of the LDP.