Japanese Foreign Minister Speaks at CSIS

On January 6 Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara addressed the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC.  The speech, entitled “Opening a New Horizon in the Asia Pacific,” emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance in maintaining regional peace and security and the roles the two countries can play in shaping a new order for the region.

Maehara introduced several themes including the need to develop “institutional foundations” in the region based on rules and norms; U.S. and Japanese leadership in multilateral institutions such as the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum; the Trans-Pacific Partnership as an important first step towards the realization of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP); and initiatives under three pillars of U.S.-Japan cooperation—security, economy, and cultural exchange—currently animating dialogue between Tokyo and Washington.

Watch the full speech here.

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