US Ambassador to Japan George Glass on a Partnership of Prosperity and Progress

Five months after President Trump and Prime Minister Takaichi stood side by side to address hundreds of cheering American and Japanese personnel aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, that camaraderie and warmth between the leaders was clear to see again last week.

The prime minister's first visit to the White House as premier was as successful and significant as the president's trip to Japan last October. Not only did the two leaders deepen their friendship, but they reemphasized their determination to forge a partnership that leads the world through determined action as well. 

This is a pivotal moment for the US-Japan alliance. With two leaders of conviction and fortitude, two nations of innovation and dynamism, and two economies more interconnected than ever before, our partnership is primed for the opportunities ahead. Last week's meeting in Washington reflected that fact.

Building on last year's landmark trade and investment deal and additional cooperation agreements in key areas like energy, advanced technologies, shipbuilding, and critical minerals, this visit delivered initiatives to further strengthen our security alliance, our supply chains, and our leadership in the technologies transforming our economies at an unprecedented rate. 

Advancing Defense Technology Cooperation

Events over the last year in the Indo-Pacific have only reaffirmed the need for an alliance that is both robust and responsive. Japan's commitment to upgrading and expanding its defense systems, including counterstrike capabilities, bolsters our collective deterrence in our mission to preserve the peace and stability of a free and open Indo-Pacific. After all, prosperity can only flourish when steady certainty prevails.

In this fast-evolving, high-tech era of defense, Japan's plan to launch a secure and sovereign cloud platform will enable our two nations to share critical information and better respond to contingencies. In today's digital environment, this is both vital and urgent.  

Future Industries and Energy Security

At the same time that we are launching joint projects in AI-enhanced scientific research, high-performance computing, and quantum technologies, we are making sure we have the means to build and power them.

As part of the latest initiatives to leverage America's abundant energy resources and diversify our critical mineral supply chains, we announced Japan's second set of investments in the United States under its $550 billion trade deal commitment. 

This newest tranche of investments is focused on power generation, with $73 billion earmarked for small modular reactor plants in Tennessee and Alabama and gas-fired power plants in Texas and Pennsylvania.

As a country with few natural energy resources, Japan knows better than most that energy security is national security. And with the Indo-Pacific experiencing a boom in data center construction, securing stable supplies of dependable and affordable energy is more critical than ever.

The inaugural Indo-Pacific energy security forum, co-hosted by the United States and Japan in Tokyo earlier this month, addressed exactly this issue. Two days of discussions between governments and energy firms resulted in more than 20 regional energy deals, worth over $56 billion.

Collaboration is also at the heart of our partnership's efforts to secure stable supplies of critical minerals and rare earths, those elements so essential to manufacturing, infrastructure, and our modern economies. But to truly unleash our industrial and technological potential, we must reduce our reliance on a single, monopolizing supplier.

Expanding Global Coordination

The US and Japan are working with the likes of the EU and Australia to fund projects in all aspects of the sector, from mining and refining to processing and recycling. And last week, the US and Japan agreed to develop price floors for certain minerals and accelerate our nations' joint efforts in deep-sea mining. This endeavor is crucial to our shared economic security.

During the White House dinner for the prime minister, President Trump highlighted our nations' shared commitment to "excellence, hard work, and pushing the frontiers of what is possible." It is those qualities that will continue to bring our remarkable partnership success in the years ahead.

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Author: US Ambassador to Japan George Glass