Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken holds a joint press availability with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimndoondo, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Haguida Koichi, July 29, 2022.

Transcript

Good afternoon everyone. So we just concluded the inaugural meeting of the new US Japan economic consultation committee, otherwise known as the or epic um Secretary Mondo and I were very glad to welcome our colleagues here too. Today, Foreign Minister Hayashi and I saw each other just a few weeks ago in Bali for the G20 and then in Tokyo where I had the opportunity to convey the profound sympathy and saw the American people to the people of Japan after the assassination. Prime Minister, as you may know, the VCC was a product of President Biden and Prime Minister is meeting in January. Their first major talk after the Prime Minister took office last fall, they agreed that the US Japan alliance has never been stronger or more necessary and that our country should deepen our cooperation to strengthen the rules based economic order to address urgent challenges facing our workers, our businesses people and accelerate open, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the pacific and beyond. Today’s first meeting of the IPCC was I think it’s fair to say a resounding success, productive substantive, directly connected two issues that matter in our people’s lives and in their futures. We discussed building resilient supply chains. After the COVID-19 pandemic revealed just how fragile they are. We addressed emerging technologies which brings so much promise of opportunity but also risks to national security, human rights, consumer health and safety, intellectual property. We talked about Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Our countries are working closely to impose costs on Russia so that President Putin will end the war and address Of course. In the meantime, food and fuel prices worldwide that have been spiked in part because of Russia’s aggression. We discussed development finance and the problem of opaque lending practices that can weigh down countries with unsustainable debt and we address the people’s republic of china and how its coercive economic practices go against an open, inclusive rules based international economic order that gives all countries a chance to participate to compete and to grow Japan and the United States believe in a global economy where all countries hold themselves to norms, to standards and practices that allow people ideas, goods capital to move freely. Where disputes are resolved swiftly peacefully openly and we’re trading commerce support workers, raise incomes, protect the environment and create opportunity for as many people as possible. The is the latest edition to an ever growing partnership with Japan. A few months ago, in Tokyo, our two countries joined 12 others to launch the Indo Pacific Economic Framework to support a stronger, fair, more resilient economy across the region. Our countries work together through the quad with India and Australia on issues from global health to the climate crisis to infrastructure. We cooperate through the to tackle bribery and corruption, through the global action plan to fight covid 19 through the new mineral security partnership to bolster critical mineral supply chains and beyond all of these different initiatives and for the bilateral relationship between Japan and the United States encompasses just about every issue we face from protecting our national security to defending human rights, to advancing our vision for free and open pacific region, the work that we did today making clear together that our economic security is a vital component of our overall national security and well-being, I think just underscores the importance and the breadth and depth of our partnership. We are deeply grateful for our alliance with Japan. It stretches back decades sustained by cherished ties of family and friendship between our peoples. The work we did here today reflects the strength of that partnership but also importantly carries it forward. On a separate note. Earlier today, I spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, we had a frank and direct conversation, I pressed the Kremlin to accept the substantial proposal that we put forth on the release of Paul, Whelan and Brittney Griner, I also emphasized the world expects Russia to fulfill its commitments under the deal it reached with Ukraine, Turkey and United Nations on grain shipments from Ukraine Ambassador Brinker, Ambassador to Ukraine was in Odessa this morning, she confirmed that the ships are loaded and ready to go. It is important and vital that Russia make good on the commitments it’s made made to the world. Ah as I made clear, we’re looking to see that move forward as soon as possible. I also made clear to Foreign Minister Lavrov that in light of recent statements coming from the Kremlin about their plans to proceed with the further annexation of Ukrainian territory. Indeed, the Foreign Minister’s own words about replacing democratically elected Ukrainian government as well as being part of their ongoing plans. Those plans would never be accepted. The world will not recognize annexations. We will impose additional significant costs on Russia if it moves forward with its plans. We also continue to stand with Ukraine support its ability to defend itself, impose costs on Russia until it ends its aggression. We continue to coordinate closely with allies and partners, including very closely with Japan to support Ukraine and to hold Moscow to account. And as always, we’re prepared to work with Ukraine and others to support any meaningful diplomatic efforts to end the war to end the aggression. So with that, let me just thank my colleagues so much for incredibly productive meeting and for designing together the way ahead and to make sure that the IPCC really is an epic achievement between our countries. Thank you. Yeah, thank for the passing of former would like to thank the thoughts extended by the people we have just come out of your very first ministerial level Economic two plus two with Secretary Blinken Secretary Raimondo and Minister. We had a very fruitful exchange of thoughts. I would like again to thank both secretaries for their wonderful hospitality. The economic quest two is the first attempt in the alliance of Japan and the United States to discuss foreign and security policy and economic policy as a unit in the background. there is a shared urgency between Japan, the United States, that existing international order is challenged not only by unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force, but also by attempt to realize strategic interest, by exerting economic influence in unfair and opaque ways in order to respond to such crisis effectively today. For ministers from Japan and the United States gathered and discussed a wide variety of issues, including economic policies of respective countries, establishment of regional economic economic security. This is the response to the requirements of time and I believe it serves as a strong message about the adaptability of Japan US alliance in a rapidly changing international economy and about the result by Japan and United States to lead the international cooperation in this area. Today. We discussed the following points and the corporation. First, we discussed rules based free and open international order as the economy has a strong influence on diplomacy today. Japan and the United States confirmed that we would cooperate with like-minded countries not only from the economic perspective, but also from a strategic perspective, in order to maintain and develop international order to ensure economic security regarding energy security and food security assistance to those countries that are greatly impacted by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Also, I expressed Japan’s support on I. F and as the United States plays more active role in economic order of the indo pacific region and conveyed my strong hope to both secretaries that the United States come back to 2nd. We discussed response to the exertion of international economic influence to hinder sorry, intentional economic influence to hinder solidarity in the international community and to distort foreign policies of different countries and confirmed on shared awareness economic co origin issue with also taken up by G seven Elmos summit and I hope to deepen the discussion towards the G seven Hiroshima summit, also regarding the unfair and opaque development finance. I hope that Japan and the United States can work together to ensure all countries comply to the international rules and standards. In addition, we agreed that for Japan and the United States to ensure our own competitiveness and resilience. We will continue to promote cooperation based on core partnership that was concurred in April last year. We also agreed to establish stronger supply chain cooperating with like-minded countries. I would like to reiterate that we are not pursuing protectionism or block economy but any policy will give due consideration to transparency and predictability for businesses. I hope that we can continue to deepen our discussions in various related areas with like-minded countries taking opportunities of occasions such as G seven, chaired by Japan and Apec chaired by the United States, we have agreed to hold the ministerial meeting on a regular basis and I look forward to our next meeting. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon and thank you to Secretary Blinken for hosting us, bringing us together and thank you to Ministers Gouda and Hayashi for joining us and for being present here in the United States for this very important meeting. I also would like to uh join with Tony in expressing my condolences to our colleagues and to the people of Japan for the tragic loss of Prime Minister Abe. So I share the assessment with Secretary Blinken that today’s meeting was a resounding success. We had candid productive open substantive discussion and I’m very proud of the joint progress on promoting economic growth, addressing threats to the global order and enhancing security and resilience the close ties between the United States and Japan support good jobs in both of our countries and contribute to our mutual prosperity and security. Our alliance is an increasingly important force for peace and prosperity, not only in the indo pacific region but in fact throughout the world. I also want to acknowledge how deeply grateful I am that Congress yesterday finally approved funding for the chips act. Uh as we discussed today, semiconductors are the linchpin of our economic and national security. And we had an excellent discussion today around how Japan and the United States could collaborate especially with respect to advanced semiconductors. The $52 billion dollar investment in the chips act in domestic semiconductor production will enable us to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States rebuild American manufacturing and strengthen our supply chain for decades to come. Just as important. This funding will strengthen our partnerships with allies like Japan. It will enhance our joint work on supply chains, promote the competitiveness of both of our nations and importantly make us less dependent on our adversaries for such a critical piece of technology. It will build on, excuse me. Just as importantly the funding will strengthen our partnerships and will build on the meeting that Minister Hey Judah and I had in May where we expressed shared intent for cooperation on semiconductor supply chains. I look forward to the day not too far from now where here in America we have American made chips supplying japanese auto plants here in the United States. Together our two nations are leading the way in investing in our futures. So again I just want to thank Minister Hey Judah and Minister Hayashi for joining us. Thank you for your efforts to forge new and stronger bonds between our nations, our communities and our people. I’m Minister of Economy, trade and Industry First I expressed also my gratitude to the American people for sending heartfelt condolences to former Prime Minister of Japan. Us former Prime Minister in the United States government buildings between express my gratitude for peace and prosperity. So the determination was expressed prosperity of the region was built. Secretary Blinken the other day he feels such a loss is covered. Japan is here to stay and determination to you. I came here development of next generation organization. Thank you very much. We’ll now turn to questions, we’ll alternate two per side. Yeah. Hi, good morning. Good afternoon. Uh Mr. Secretary, could I begin by following up on the remarks about your conversation with Foreign Minister Lavrov. Um how confident are you about this raising the chances of bringing home Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan?

What is the sense that you got from from Foreign Minister Lavrov. Um I know also you mentioned earlier this week that you’re not planning to negotiate in Ukraine with the Russians. What is the overall sense that you got from for Mr. Lavrov, are you any more confident that the United States could be dealing with Russia and making progress in any area there?

Uh And do you plan to speak to him again or even meet him as it was announced that you’re gonna be in Cambodia next week?

For for Asian perhaps if I could open up to everybody here a week of phone calls, I suppose the phone call yesterday that the President had with with President Xi of China?

Uh does this um do you feel that this uh this this big city progress on the issue of Taiwan?

How concerned are you about the tensions in Taiwan right now and a potential visit by Speaker Pelosi?

Do you think that are you confident that’s something you can work through or are you worried about that?

Aggravated the situation. Thank you very much Sean, thank you very much first. Just to put this in in perspective, we said all along that if we thought there was any opportunity to advance diplomacy to and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, we would of course take it. Unfortunately, tragically, we’ve seen no right opening willingness on the part of Russia to engage meaningfully on ending the aggression at the same time. I’ve also said that if there are issues where it could make a difference in senior Russians hearing directly from me or from colleagues, we would of course pursue that and with regard to the call with with the foreign minister today, as I noted the other day, we had an opportunity to speak. I told you what I intended to raise with him and I raised exactly what I said, I would raise with him. That is the significant proposal that’s been on the table for some weeks now. That would lead to bringing home Paul, Whelan and Brittney Griner. Um I urged Foreign Minister Lavrov to move forward with that proposal. I’m not going to characterize his response and I can’t give you a an assessment of whether I think things are any more or less likely, but it was important that he heard directly from me on that 2nd, as I said the other day, on behalf of many, many countries around the world getting Russia to move on, the commitments it’s made, not just to the United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine in the context of the deal that was agreed, but to the entire world that is looking for an end to the blockade of the Odessa support by Russia. That has denied so many people the food that they need and depend on and has also resulted in a significant increase in food prices over many months. Important that he hear directly from me on behalf of many other countries, the expectation that Russia would move forward with his commitments and would stop and the blockade and allow the ships to sail. And finally, you heard me say the other day, the deep concern that many countries around the world have in hearing in recent days about Russia’s expanded war aims in Ukraine particularly their plans to proceed with the annexation of additional Ukrainian territory. And I laid out exactly what we anticipate they will do in the weeks and months ahead, including having sham referendums in these parts of Ukraine, trying to falsely demonstrate that the people in these parts of Ukraine somehow seek to become part of Russia all to advance. President Putin’s objectives in gobbling up as much Ukrainian territory as he can. And from his perspective, trying to erase Ukraine as an independent sovereign country. That of course is not going to happen. The Ukrainian people have made clear that that’s not going to happen. And the world has made clear they’re not going to let that happen, but short of that. Um President Putin is trying to grab as much Ukrainian territory as he can. And it was very important that Russians here directly from us, that that will not be accepted and not only will it not be accepted, it will result in additional significant costs being imposed upon Russia if it follows through on those plans. So I don’t want to characterize any of Foreign Minister Lavrov responses. If you have an opportunity to ask him, please proceed um with regard to the uh the call between President Biden and President Xi. Um First, as you know, this followed previous discussions including most recently in March and it also builds on a number of recent engagements, including the time I spent with Foreign Minister and in Bali, where we spent about five hours together, the National Security advisor jake, Sullivan, the Secretary of Defense Treasury Secretary, uh Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff of Each had recent conversations or engagements with with their counterparts and this is part of our effort to make sure that we maintain and deep in lines of communication with china to responsibly manage the many differences that we have and to work together wherever it is that our interests align. And that was very much the nature of the conversation. I can just say again, it covered Basically 3 3 things where our two countries can work together with a particular focus on climate change, on health, security, on counter narcotics. Um Second exchange of views on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. And finally Taiwan where President Biden underscored that our policy has not changed. United States strongly opposes any unilateral efforts to change the status quo or to undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan strait. So that was the the nature and basically the substance of the conversation they had, they touched on a number of other issues. But look, I’ll just say this in conclusion, uh huh. We have many differences when it comes to Taiwan, but Over the past 40 plus years, we have managed those differences and done it in a way that is preserved peace and stability and has allowed uh the people on Taiwan to flourish. Ah it would be important as part of our shared responsibility to continue to manage this in a wise way that doesn’t create the prospect for for conflict uh and keeping open lines of communication on this issue, especially between President Biden and President XI I think is vital to doing that. We believe direct communication between the leaders is um the most essential aspect of meeting our responsibilities to manage issues as fraught as Taiwan in the most responsible way possible. Mr. From looking back at the history of Japan US relations in 1992 the ministerial level on the other hand, community china is attempting to widely broaden its influence, leveraging its economic power. So what is the significance of Japan and the United States coming together to try and maintain and strengthen the economic order also, how do you plan to build on today’s discussion in G. Seven and with Asian as they have strong economic ties with china. First of all, Japan and the US have been working together in solidarity to make sure that unilateral attempt to change status school would not be allowed in the international community. On the other hand, as I said at the outset for Japan and us to effectively respond to the unfair and opaque use of economic influence, it is necessary to think about diplomacy, security and economy as a unit in particular, the United States and Japan are number one in two democratic economies in the world. It would be beneficial for us to discuss strategically about the policies to be implemented in such situations to respond to this kind of requirement in the international environment in the United States and the international community, including international economic cooperation between the United States, but also cooperation, cooperation and further expand cooperation regarding the relationship with Asian. Japan and the United States have always respected the unity and sensuality of Asian while promoting concrete cooperation towards achievement of free and open in the pacific and outlook on the indo pacific we will continue to closely cooperate with regional partners aiming to sustainable and inclusive economic growth and economic security. We discussed during the economic and also framework by the United States. I agree with everything that my my colleague has said. Um I would simply add a couple of points to reinforce a couple of points first. The United States and Japan share a conviction that economic security and national security are inseparable. They’re fundamentally linked and I think it was very important to both of us and all of our colleagues to further elevate the discussions we’re having on economic security issues because they’re really front and center on our agenda and other worlds and the very, the issues that you heard us talk about today, I think really go to in many ways, very practical things that our people in Japan and the United States and beyond are feeling experiencing in their in their lives and we have a a shared conviction that working together, we can make a genuine difference in advancing opportunity uh and dealing with challenges to the well-being of our people in the in the economic sphere. So that’s the most important thing. Second, I would simply say that many of the initiatives that were engaged in together, whether it’s between the United States and Japan, whether it’s in the context of of Asian the quad, these are mutually reinforcing, um and they in effect add strength to each other. And I think we saw that today because many of the things that we talked about um overlap with issues that are on the agenda of the quad etcetera when the United States and Japan can work together to help drive some of these issues and next year, as you know, Japan will be in the lead of the G seven. We will be in the lead of apec. Um we can make a big, big difference in actually moving forward. Last thing is this um we get to uh stand up here and share with all of you the results of our meeting the truth of the matter. Is there a number of people who are sitting with us today and others who are back in their ministries in Tokyo and here in Washington who really drive the work every single day. So we’ve agreed that we will meet again among the four of us next year. But in between them, we’ve laid out a very detailed and concrete agenda for our teams to follow up on between now and the end of the year and then into next year. So that not only have we set out basic vision together and framework for the work that our countries can do will actually follow up with concrete initiatives to make all of this real. So, I think that’s the other importance of today, an agreement that we’re really going to drive this forward together over the next months, joker. But hi, thank you for doing this. Mr. Foreign Minister, I wonder starting on Taiwan, is the Japanese government making any contingency planning from a security perspective for a potential crisis in the near term. Whether that would be prompted by a visit from Speaker Pelosi or some other visit. And does the Does the Japanese government envision a role for the G-7 to uh to intervene with any economic leverage to deter or or mitigate the risk of escalation in such a crisis. Um Secretary Raimondo, you’ve spoken before about the Russian military being forced to strip semiconductors from kitchen appliances in Ukraine. Do you have any sense of whether those, those supply constraints that they have are imposing a time limit on their military operations there and more generally, do you see that being applicable um in a you know, with respect to china in a in a crisis or even on the other foot, does the US have sufficient semiconductor supplies to see to see see through a Taiwan crisis in the near term. And then Secretary Blinken, the the USs Ronald Reagan carrier strike group is in the south China sea, but there’s been a lot of inks built on the vulnerability of the surface fleet. And if there were a crisis with china, are you having any conversations about near term prepositioning of defense assets and you know, with Japan or other allies in the region next week. Thank you. Hi, thank you for your question regarding the visit by Speaker Pelosi. Uh we are not in a position as the Japanese government to comment on that. Now going on to between Japan and the US uh in May in the summit at the Joint Declaration regarding Taiwan basic approach to Taiwan has not been changed. Uh Taiwan strait peace and prosperity is important remains the same and peaceful resolution of the straight issue has been agreed upon between the leaders. Thank you With respect to the export controls. We have reason to believe that with each passing week and month the export controls have an even more devastating effect on Russia’s ability to continue this war as the stockpile. They develop the stockpile in preparation for the war for this. These sorts of technology and spare parts as that continues to dwindle. Their ability to continue to operate uh is reduced significantly. I will say the the reason that these export controls are having such an effect is because we’re doing them in coordination with our allies first among them the Japanese. I mean, this isn’t the United States acting alone. We have a coalition of 36 countries Japan stepped up immediately. And together we are denying Russia parts including semiconductors and importantly, as we discussed today collaborating on enforcement and and we will continue to collaborate on enforcement to continue to deny Russia what it needs to continue this war with respect to the United States. I have no concern that we have an ability to um meet our needs. And furthermore, the fact that Congress acted yesterday on the chips act is an enormous step forward to ensure that we’ll be able to protect ourselves and our allies and have adequate and we can conduct our supplies um for for decades to come. And with regard to any contingencies in any preparations made on on a military level, I defer to the pentagon. What do you think about the future state of cooperation between the United States?

Thank you for your question. When you talk about the competition, freedom, democracy, the basic human rights rule of law, these are the universal values that we share together between the two countries. So we need to keep on adhering to the economic order based on the rule. We always looking for a level playing field in terms of the complications so that the regional Peace and Prosperity Foundation can be laid down. That is a big responsibility incumbent upon to two countries. Principal for the corporation semiconductor. We will work with like-minded countries to expand our cooperation to 20 twenty’s realization of R and D on the next generation semiconductors, Hrd and supply chain resilience. We are going to put that into action. We will look into the future implementation in R and D. As I said, the university offer their expertise in the next generation semiconductor research will be collected to launch a new R and D. Organization made open to the obviously businesses and research institute in Japan U. S. And other countries in the region. We hope to make it into the hub for the international joint research. Right before this press conference, I had a bilateral with Secretary Mondo and thanks to the efforts the chips act passed in the United States, the bookmaking and there is going to be a very well further commitment can be made on both public and private side. That was extremely well said by my colleague. Concur with everything he said, I would simply _ 2.1 in the Indo pacific Economic Framework which we have launched. And with Japan and a dozen other economies in the indo pacific there is a pillar focused on supply chains and we expect that a core piece of work in the indo pacific economic framework and supply chains will be focused on semiconductors, aligning research and development, coordinating on export controls. Working together secondly, after the passage of the chips act, our goal now the Department of Commerce will be implementing the chips act with the goal of rebuilding the entire semiconductor supply chain in America. And we welcome Japanese foreign direct investment into the United States. Uh as we develop that supply chain specifically in the areas of chemicals and substrates materials. Uh The Japanese are world leaders uh tooling and we look forward to. And as the Minister said research and development in emerging technology, it’s impossible to overstate the significance of Congress’s action yesterday and the opportunity for collaboration that that opens for the United States and Japan to strengthen the semiconductor supply chain