Press Conference by Minister Saito (Excerpt)

*Note: This is a provisional translation for reference purposes only.

9:01-9:07 a.m.
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Press Conference Room, METI Main Building

Opening Remarks

Visit to the United States

Good morning. At the beginning, I would like to mention one point.
From today, April 9, to Saturday, April 13, I will visit Washington, D.C., accompanying Prime Minister Kishida on his official visit to the United States as a state guest, the first such visit to be made by a Japanese prime minister in nine years.
During the forthcoming visit, I will attend the leaders’ official events, including the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, and hold Japan-U.S. ministerial meetings. Arrangements are also being made to hold the US-JP-PH Commerce and Industry Ministerial Meeting, which will be attended by the Philippines’ Trade and Industry Secretary, who is visiting the United States. Through this series of meetings, we would like to further advance economic cooperation bilaterally between Japan and the United States and trilaterally among Japan, the United States, and the Philippines in various fields, including semiconductors and other critical and emerging technologies, economic security, including supply chain resilience, and clean energy.
That is all I have to say.

Question-and-Answer Session

Visit to the United States

Q: Regarding the visit to the United States, which you mentioned just now, I assume that it is unusual for you to accompany the Prime Minister on overseas visits. Please tell me once again about the outcome that you expect and the points that you would like to highlight to the countries participating in those meetings.

A: Amid the presence of various pending issues related to the international situation, I will visit the United States with the Prime Minister and attend the leaders’ official events, including the Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, and in addition, relevant Japan-U.S. ministerial meetings and the US-JP-PH Commerce and Industry Ministerial Meeting are scheduled to be held. Therefore, I believe that this will be a very important opportunity to promote cooperation with like-minded countries.
Arrangements are still being made for the ministerial meetings, but I, together with Senior Advisor to the U.S. President Podesta, plan to launch a ministerial policy dialogue regarding cooperation on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which comprises U.S. measures to promote clean energy, and on Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) promotion strategy.
In addition, I will hold the Japan-U.S. Commercial and Industrial Partnership (JUCIP) Ministerial Meeting with Commerce Secretary Raimondo and discuss Japan-U.S. cooperation over critical and emerging technologies and supply chain resilience.
Moreover, I am scheduled to hold the US-JP-PH Commerce and Industry Ministerial Meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo and Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Pascual to discuss trilateral cooperation in economic fields, including infrastructure and energy.
Although the time available will be very limited, we would like to further advance economic cooperation between Japan and the United States, and among Japan, the United States, and the Philippines, by focusing our efforts on those meetings.