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.