NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today released the following statement welcoming the Japan Prime Minster Yoshihide Suga for his summit with President Joe Biden:
“I am pleased to welcome my friend Prime Minister Suga to Washington. As U.S. Ambassador to Japan, I worked closely with then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga to advance the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and I applaud President Biden for prioritizing our nation’s critical relationship with Japan. As a former diplomat, I recognize the U.S.-Japan Alliance is central to addressing challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and on the world stage whether it be countering digital and 5G threats, denuclearization of North Korea, or countering Communist China. The Trump Administration rightly prioritized our alliance with Japan, handing the Biden Administration a relationship that has never been stronger and sending a clear signal to our adversaries around the globe. Japan’s strategic leadership in the region is critical to our effort to apply more pressure on the Chinese Communist Party to change its malign behavior, particularly on intellectual property theft and ongoing genocide of ethnic minorities. I also strongly urge President Biden to continue supporting Japan’s efforts to hold the 2020 Olympic Games, now less than a hundred days away. My hope is that this visit will build upon our historic relationship, deepen the friendship between our two nations, and help ensure that Japan remains the cornerstone of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”