May 3, 2021
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu in London. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Motegi emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance for promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of U.S.-Japan cooperation to address the global threats from COVID-19 and the climate crisis, while also advancing the free and open rules-based international order. Additionally, Secretary Blinken and Minister Motegi shared their concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and reaffirmed their commitment to address and resolve these issues through U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea trilateral cooperation towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The Secretary also reiterated the U.S. commitment to the immediate resolution of the abductions issue, and they discussed the urgent need to put Burma on the path back towards democracy and to hold the military junta to account.