FOREIGN MINISTER IWAYA: (Via interpreter) It is my honor to welcome you today to Japan very soon after our meeting in Peru this November. First of all, we are deeply saddened to learn the passing of former President Carter, who left behind a legacy of incredible achievements. I would like to once again express our heartfelt condolences.
I also wish to extend my deepest sympathies to the victims of the tragic incident in New Orleans and convey my thoughts and prayers to those who were injured. Such acts of violence can never be justified under any circumstances. During these challenging times, I want to express Japan's deep bond of solidarity with the U.S. government and American people.
I deeply appreciate your visit to Japan despite the profound sorrow surrounding these events. We believe that the fact your first overseas trip as Secretary of State was to Japan and that you have chosen to visit again as your tenure draws to a close underscores the importance you place on the U.S.-Japan relationship.
Over the past four years under your tenure as the Secretary of State, the Japan-U.S. alliance has grown stronger than ever. I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound respect for your friendship with Japan and your tremendous contributions to the Japan-U.S. relationship.
Looking ahead, I am committed to elevating Japan-U.S. alliance to new heights, and to that end I am very much looking forward to engaging in discussion with you regarding the current regional affairs and the state of Japan-U.S. relations. Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, Takeshi, thank you so very much. It is a pleasure for me both professionally and personally to be in Japan once again - as you mentioned, my first trip in this job and now probably my last trip in this job is to Japan. I've been to Japan seven times over the last four years, to the Indo-Pacific region 21 times. And as you said, this is evidence of the - not just the importance, the centrality, that the United States attaches to our alliance and partnership with Japan as well as the broader region. And President Biden asked me to come on this last trip to underscore that point.
I think one of the things that he and we are proudest of is the strength of this relationship, of this partnership, of this allyship. And I believe it's actually stronger than it's ever been. We have between our two countries a partnership that started out focusing on bilateral relations and worked on regional issues and now is genuinely global, and that is more than anything else a reflection of the extraordinary success that Japan is in having such a strong global brand and something that the United States gives a tremendous importance and tremendous value.
So we know that even though we're in political transition the world doesn't stop. It doesn't wait for our transitions. There is much on our common agenda that it's important that we're working on. We had just yesterday another missile launch by the DPRK among many other things. So I look forward as well to looking at where we are and where we need to continue going together. We've had very successful meetings over the last year. Our security 2+2, our economic 2+2 - oh I'm sorry, I've forgotten the interpretation. Please, go ahead. Thank you, Ambassador. Thank God we have a diplomat here. (Laughter.)
(The Secretary's remarks were interpreted.)
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, for the sake of the translator I'll keep it brief. (Laughter.) I'll simply say that if you look at the work that we've done through our security 2+2, our economic 2+2, the work that our teams are doing every day, I think the foundational strength of our alliance - security, economically, innovatively, people-to-people - has never been better, and I look forward to seeing that continue, like you, to grow in the months and years ahead. Thank you.
