Happy Independence Day 2024!
As Americans around the world celebrate the nation’s 248th birthday, the Fourth of July provides a chance for those of us in Japan to reflect on what has already been a historic year for US–Japan ties.
A special message for ACCJ members from US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel
As Americans around the world celebrate July Fourth, the day provides a chance for those of us in Japan to reflect on what has already been a historic year for US–Japan ties. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s state visit to Washington in April, the first by a Japanese prime minister in nearly a decade, marked a high point in our two nations’ long relationship, with numerous announcements of cross-border investments and collaboration.
With economic security directly linked to national security, it is paramount that the United States and Japan leverage their respective strengths to cooperate in the development of critical and emerging technologies and the diversification of supply chains.
As next-generation technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) power the future of the global economy, initiatives like the $110 million AI partnership between four top universities in the United States and Japan, announced during the state visit, will allow us to be at the forefront of a field that is fast becoming embedded in every area of business and life.
Japan’s ambition to become a global high-tech and digital hub of research and innovation was given a boost by the announcement of investments in the country’s digital sector from Microsoft ($2.9 billion), Google ($1 billion), and Amazon Web Services ($15 billion).
“With so much of the world digitally interconnected, it is imperative that our secrets are kept safe, our privacy and data protected, and our supply chains secured.”
Amid the country’s digital transformation, cybersecurity has become a priority. With so much of the world digitally interconnected, it is imperative that our secrets are kept safe, our privacy and data protected, and our supply chains secured. During my recent trip to Fukuoka, we launched the US–Kyushu Cybersecurity Partnership Initiative. Bringing together leading US and Japanese technology companies with partners in civil society, law enforcement, and academia, the initiative is designed to strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem in an area of Japan that is becoming critically important to the global economy.
While longstanding partners in space exploration and research, the United States and Japan are collaborating in every area of this flourishing sector. Decades after the Apollo program, the United States is preparing to return to the moon. The Artemis program will see the United States and Japan join forces on this momentous project, with an American astronaut once again stepping onto the lunar surface, this time accompanied by a Japanese astronaut. The coming years promise to be ones full of “giant leaps” in space science and human exploration.
Meanwhile, Japan continues to be the No. 1 investor in the United States, with $775 billion in direct investments. This confidence was reflected in decisions by major Japanese companies to expand operations or build new facilities across the United States. The likes of Toyota, Honda Aircraft, Daiichi Sankyo, and UBE all deepened their presence in North Carolina, Ohio, and Louisiana, respectively, with millions of dollars of commitments to those local communities and economies. The investments are also a vote of confidence in both US manufacturing capability and the skills of US workers.
“None of our efforts would be possible without the underlying people-to-people ties … We are fortunate to have committed partners in the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan.”
As climate change wreaks havoc across the world, the United States and Japan remain steadfastly committed to accelerating energy transition while promoting clean energy. We have entered a new era where renewable energy is a major driver of investment decisions. The next challenge for Japan is deploying renewable energy at scale, but regions such as Hokkaido, where natural resources are plentiful, provide boundless opportunities for US energy companies already established in the field.
Unlike fossil fuels, which are subject to the unpredictability of world events and authoritarian regimes, renewable energy is clean, secure, and the employer of tomorrow.
None of our efforts would be possible without the underlying people-to-people ties. To lay the foundation for the next generation of US–Japan relations, we announced new educational endowment initiatives to support scholarships for high school and university exchange students. Together with our established Fulbright and Mansfield programs, these will inspire and inspirit the future custodians of our special relationship.
We are fortunate to have committed partners in the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). What we accomplish together with the US–Japan alliance over the next year will shape the future of the Indo-Pacific region—and the world—for decades to come.
I wish all our ACCJ friends and partners a very happy Fourth of July.
Disclaimer: Opinions or advice expressed in the The ACCJ Journal are not necessarily those of the ACCJ.
Happy Independence Day 2023!
On the 247th anniversary of the birth of our great nation, I would like to extend my warmest wishes for a Happy Fourth of July to our friends and partners at the ACCJ.
A special message for ACCJ members from US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel
On the 247th anniversary of the birth of our great nation, I would like to extend my warmest wishes for a Happy Fourth of July to our friends and partners at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). Going on my second year in Japan, I am humbled by what we were able to accomplish. The ACCJ’s leadership played no small role in helping accomplish our mutual goals. While looking at our impressive accomplishments, it is important to note that there is much left to do.
Over the past few years, the US–Japan Alliance has become a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo–Pacific. As discussed at the G7 Summit in May, the importance of defending democratic values in eastern Asia cannot be overstated. Japan’s dedication to this cause can be seen by its reinforcements of defensive and diplomatic capabilities. Our bilateral cooperation has only deepened behind the promise to protect the rule of law and sovereignty.
Russia’s war in Ukraine is a direct attack on international order and the biggest modern threat to sovereignty globally. The invasion threatens to undermine the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. In response to the unjust war, the United States and Japan held steadfast in our dedication to global security and led international pushback against the Kremlin. Japan and the United States led sanctions, export controls, freezing of Russian assets, and donations to the Ukrainian cause.
This challenge strengthened international cooperation to create a united front against the aggressions of Russia. This war and our united response to it has much wider ramifications than just in Ukraine. As the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues to test the boundaries of the South China Sea and Taiwan, it is evident that the outcome of Russia’s invasion holds great weight in determining the PRC’s aggressiveness in the Indo–Pacific region. In response to the PRC’s encroachment in the South China Sea, the United States and Japan have advocated for a rules-based order in the region, condemning their behavior. To this end, we have worked with other countries in the region to promote freedom of navigation and overflight to address the PRC’s aggressiveness.
“Over the past few years, the US–Japan Alliance has become a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo–Pacific.”
As we address international concerns, we must not forget the urgency of combatting climate change. The United States and Japan are global leaders in the fight against climate change and in recent years our cooperation has only grown stronger. The US–Japan Climate Partnership is an example of this cooperation, which commits us to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We are making significant progress on this goal by increasing renewable energy and through researching and developing new clean technologies. Our cooperation is essential to addressing the climate crisis and acting as leaders in an international response.
All of this must be accomplished without neglecting the economies of both countries. The advancement of US–Japan economic relations in the past two years is a positive development for both countries and the global economy. Concurrently, we have launched several initiatives to support economic investment in Southeast Asia and to promote free trade in the region. We are committed to working together to address common economic challenges and we are well-positioned to continue to advance our economic relationship in the years to come.
We are fortunate to have strong allies in the ACCJ with common goals. We must never forget that our unity is our greatest strength. It is what gives us the power to defeat tyranny and build a better world. What we can accomplish with the US–Japan alliance in the next two years will shape the future of the Indo–Pacific region for decades to come.
Happy Independence Day. I am confident in our work together. Let’s get it done.
Disclaimer: Opinions or advice expressed in the The ACCJ Journal are not necessarily those of the ACCJ.
Happy Independence Day!
I would like to wish our friends and partners at the ACCJ a Happy Independence Day on the 246th anniversary of the founding of our great nation. The US–Japan Alliance has much to celebrate as well …
A special message for ACCJ members from US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel
I would like to wish our friends and partners at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) a Happy Independence Day on the 246th anniversary of the founding of our great nation. As I look back on my first six months in Japan, we should be proud of what we have accomplished together in advancing US interests in partnership with our closest ally in Asia. Thanks in part to the leadership of the ACCJ, we successfully persuaded the Japanese government to ease entry restrictions and allow business travel and tourism to resume once again. Looking ahead, there is much more to do.
The US–Japan Alliance has much to celebrate as well, as Japanese policy has shifted from protecting and preserving our bilateral security alliance to projecting its strength outward in defense of a free and open Indo–Pacific region. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warmly welcomed President Biden for their summit in May, underscoring the vital importance of our alliance in upholding democratic values and rallying other countries in defense of a rules-based order. Together, they co-hosted the launch the Indo–Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity with a dozen other founding partner countries. Japan was our essential partner in this initiative, helping to bring partners from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to the table and champion the rules-based economic order in the region.
Nowhere is the challenge to international order clearer than in Russia’s unprovoked and unjust war of aggression in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion threatens peace, prosperity, and the rules-based order established after the Second World War, as it continues to drive global inflation and exacerbate food instability throughout the world.
The response to Russia’s war of choice has been strong, swift, and unified, with the United States and Japan leading more than 140 nations in standing against the Kremlin. The Kishida Administration has matched our actions step-by-step on sanctions and export controls, and has sometimes even been ahead of us. In the face of this challenge, we also enjoy the opportunity to build a more prosperous and secure future. The united response has galvanized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member nations—and NATO-aspirant countries such as Finland and Sweden—more than any other event in the past decade, and their commitment to the alliance is as firm as ever.
The collective response to Russian military adventurism is already having a ripple effect beyond European shores. With Beijing’s eyes set on Taiwan and dominance in the Indo–Pacific region, we can be sure that the People’s Republic of China is watching carefully to see whether Russia can weather economic and political isolation. As CIA Director Bill Burns recently noted in a May 7 Reuters story, the costs that Russia is bearing is affecting Beijing’s calculation about Taiwan.
The lesson for us to bear in mind is that unity represents a vital strategic asset. It’s what separates us from our authoritarian competitors. At a time when globalization seems to be in retreat, alliances and partnerships with like-minded nations matter. What we do today to leverage the US–Japan alliance to build unity across the Indo–Pacific region over the next three years will define the next 30 years.
We also need to keep our eyes on the situation closer to home. We can provide a better living for the people of our two nations by implementing measures to make our economies more inclusive and by reimagining Japan as a global financial center for the 21st century, in partnership with the United States. Thankfully, we are fortunate to have strong friends at the ACCJ who share our vision, values, and sense of mission. I am confident that, together, we can make the changes necessary to pass along the same opportunities that we enjoyed.
Happy Independence Day. We have a lot to do, so let’s get to work.
Disclaimer: Opinions or advice expressed in the The ACCJ Journal are not necessarily those of the ACCJ.
RTO Diplomacy
As the pace of digitalization quickens and technology plays an increasingly important role in our lives, maintaining global leadership in science, technology, and innovation is critical. To do so, the United States Foreign Service has created a new position—regional technology officer (RTO)—which will focus on enabling the United States to maintain its leadership through transnational approaches to technology policy and development initiatives.
New embassy role focuses on technology leadership and collaboration
As the pace of digitalization quickens and technology plays an increasingly important role in our lives, maintaining global leadership in science, technology, and innovation is critical. To do so, the United States Foreign Service has created a new position—regional technology officer (RTO)—which will focus on enabling the United States to maintain its leadership through transnational approaches to technology policy and development initiatives.
RTOs will focus on:
- Promoting US leadership in technology
- Ensuring that technology ecosystems support democratic values
- Securing US economic assets
- Enhancing US competitiveness with strategic competitors
The RTO program will place foreign service officers (FSOs) at key global innovation hubs, where they can engage with the local technology community, promote regional cooperation and public outreach, and energize global technology hubs to accomplish US policy objectives.
This year, the US Department of State is deploying three RTOs. Matt Chessen (RTO Tokyo) and Jim Cerven (RTO Sydney) have arrived at their posts, and Charlette Betts is due to begin her RTO role in São Paulo, Brazil, in November. There are plans to deploy three more RTOs in 2022, with additional officers rolling out in the coming years.
To learn more about the RTO role, The ACCJ Journal spoke with Chessen about the overall goals as well as his mission in Japan.
How does an RTO in a diplomatic capacity differ from one in a corporate capacity?
This is a great question, as there are some similarities and analogues, but also important differences in our work.
One interesting observation from the diplomatic perspective is how we’re increasingly seeing corporate representatives playing a more proactive role in areas that traditionally were the domain of governments, such as the creation of normative value frameworks for particular areas of technology.
I was recently introduced to the Business Software Alliance’s Framework to Build Trust in AI. I see this kind of work as a positive evolution in the concept of corporate responsibility, where businesses recognize that there are risks inherent in new tools and are proactively taking steps to mitigate those risks.
The US government welcomes the participation of the private sector, encouraging it to play a strong role in the development and adoption of principles and norms for technologies. In fact, governments can’t and shouldn’t develop these frameworks without working hand in hand with the private sector and other stakeholder groups.
RTOs will focus on some of the same topic areas as their corporate counterparts, such as promoting an environment conducive to US business. RTOs have an outreach role which is analogous to private-sector public relations. This could involve working with our public diplomacy colleagues to enhance messaging around technology issues, or speaking on behalf of the US government. Because RTOs have deeper expertise in technology policy, they will serve as panelists and speakers at regional events, both governmental and non-governmental.
There are also some differences between RTOs and our corporate counterparts. We are focused on a broader range of critical and emerging technologies than are most private-sector representatives. Even within the technology sphere, we are generalists compared with our private-sector colleagues. RTOs have an internal capacity-building role in which we are tasked with raising the level of technology awareness and expertise among our diplomats in the region. We also have a strategic foresight function, where we’re expected to analyze emerging-technology markets and report on trends that generate opportunities and risks for economic and national security.
Why has the US government created this role?
The decision to establish the RTO positions was well supported by evidence from outside and inside government. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine first proposed the idea of regional technology diplomats in their 2015 report Diplomacy for the 21st Century: Embedding a Culture of Science and Technology Throughout the Department of State. The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence made similar recommendations in their final report, where they recommend that the Department of State “establish a cadre of dedicated technology officers at US embassies and consulates to strengthen diplomatic advocacy, improve technology scouting, and inform policy and foreign assistance choices.”
Concurrent with these analyses, the Department of State noted four trends that made the case for RTOs.
First, as we’ve seen with 5G communications technologies and trusted infrastructure, technology issues are closely connected with many US core geopolitical interests.
Second, technology issues—such as semiconductor supply chains—are increasingly transnational in nature.
Third, there is a proliferation of international forums where technology issues are discussed, and we need officers with deeper expertise and focus on technology issues who can represent the United States in these forums.
And fourth, there is a recognition that, to maintain global leadership in technology, we have to build networks of regional partners that include the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and academia—in addition to governments.
Most of our FSOs are generalists who could be issuing visas in one assignment and coordinating climate policy in their next. The RTO initiative is a means of placing greater focus on technology issues and has a side benefit of cultivating a cadre of FSOs with deeper technological knowledge.
How will you liaise with the Japanese government?
In addition to their regional responsibilities, each RTO has a bilateral portfolio focused on their host country. For myself, I’ll be focusing on building additional cooperation with Japan on artificial intelligence (AI) and enhancing our partnership on standards for emerging technologies. I will also be focusing on how we can partner with Japan on broader regional technological issues such as regional data governance or promoting trusted infrastructure in ASEAN member states.
Will you be supporting Japan’s digitalization efforts?
I wouldn’t want to give the impression that the RTO becomes the focal point for all bilateral technology issues. We have officers that cover everything from digital economy issues to emerging energy technologies to fintech. We also have a large team here at the embassy focused on digitalization, both in the Trade and Economic Policy Unit and the Foreign Commercial Service Office. The RTO will serve to support their efforts.
Somewhat related, one of my goals is to improve collaboration between the United States and Japan on basic research in AI. Japan has tremendous capabilities in hardware and robotics, while the United States is strong in software and data. Enhancing our basic research cooperation will allow us to capitalize on each other’s strengths.
What are the biggest technological threats and challenges facing the United States and Japan?
I believe that the United States and Japan must work together, and with other democratic partners, to ensure we remain the global leaders in technology, and that technological ecosystems reflect our shared values. We are facing a new geotechnological environment, where the People’s Republic of China aspires to lead the world in technology and is using technology to undermine democratic values, the rule of law, and human rights. Ensuring US and Japanese leadership will require enhanced cooperation across the technology spectrum, from research and development to principles and governance.
We also need to make certain that markets are fair and that our economic assets are protected. The key will be enhancing our shared economic security without veering into policies that become protectionist or, worse, undermine the very industries we are trying to cultivate. We believe we can strike this balance and we look forward to working with Japan and other regional partners—especially our friends in the private sector—to promote our mutual economic and national security through global technology leadership.
Wishing You a Happy Independence Day
Happy Independence Day to our partners and friends at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). On the 245th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the democratic values that underpin the US–Japan alliance continue to bear fruit. Reflecting on the year thus far, we have much to celebrate as our bilateral ties with Japan remain strong.
Greetings to readers of The ACCJ Journal from the US Embassy Tokyo
Listen to this story:
Happy Independence Day to our partners and friends at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). On the 245th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the democratic values that underpin the US–Japan alliance continue to bear fruit. Reflecting on the year thus far, we have much to celebrate as our bilateral ties with Japan remain strong. Just as the Declaration of Independence symbolizes peace and prosperity for the American people, the US–Japan Alliance promotes these same values in the Indo–Pacific and across the world.
Steadfast Friendship
The United States and Japan ushered in the year with strong symbols of our steadfast friendship, exhibited through several firsts. In March, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visited Tokyo on their first trips overseas as Cabinet officials, participating in the Japan–US Security Consultative Committee (2+2). Their visit reaffirmed the enduring strength of our security partnership and its contributions to peace, security, and prosperity in the region and beyond.
We solidified our close bond with Japan when President Joe Biden welcomed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as the first world leader to visit Washington. During the visit, the two leaders launched the Competitiveness and Resilience (CoRe) Partnership—as well as the US–Japan Climate Partnership—and pledged to work together to address the global threats posed by Covid-19 and climate change, while resisting challenges to the free and open rules-based international order.
We will need your help in implementing these initiatives and realizing their success in areas that range from boosting innovation and cooperating on research and development to securing critical supply chains.
Finally, we celebrated US–Japan cooperation in space. We witnessed the simultaneous presence of two Japanese astronauts aboard the International Space Station for the first time since 2010. One of the Japanese together with three other astronauts were then ferried from the space station by a commercial SpaceX ship.
One of the Strongest Relationships
The United States and Japan continue to be top trade and investment partners. Our close economic cooperation supports open and competitive energy markets, the digital economy, secure 5G networks, space exploration, and a wide range of emerging technologies.
Of course, we are still grappling with Covid-19, but vaccinations are helping our economies and societies recover. Throughout the pandemic, the United States and Japan have demonstrated that close cooperation in tackling global issues is emblematic of our strong relationship. As we have worked to vaccinate the people in our countries, we have also partnered to ensure the rest of the world has access to vaccines through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment.
I continue to be impressed by the ACCJ’s contributions to our strong economic ties, and your efforts to mitigate the impact of Covid-19. Your leadership—particularly in the areas of digital transformation and pharmaceuticals—has been invaluable in helping to promote hope and prosperity amid this crisis.
Shared Values Tie Us Together
As the two largest market economies in the world, our commitments to defending freedom, championing free and fair trade, promoting diversity and inclusion, and upholding human rights are rooted deeply in our shared values. The ACCJ has played a critical role in strengthening the bonds between our countries, deepening our economic ties with Japan, and advocating for the US business community.
As President Biden and Prime Minister Suga recently affirmed, “an ocean separates our countries, but commitments to universal values and common principles—including freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, international law, multilateralism, and a free and fair economic order—unite us.”
Let us take this Independence Day to celebrate what unites us.