Executives' Comments  Comment by Chairman   Chairman Sakakibara's Comments on the Japan-US Leaders' Meeting

February 11, 2017
Keidanren

The fact that Prime Minister Abe and President Trump have deepened their personal relationship of trust at the Japan-US Leaders' Meeting holds great significance for the future of the ties between Japan and the United States. Their reaffirmation of the importance of the Japan-US Alliance and their communication of that commitment to the world were also major achievements of the Meeting.

The two leaders confirmed that they would continue with constructive talks about further deepening the economic ties between Japan and the United States and promoting free and fair, rule-based trade and investment between our two countries. I hope that, going forward, through these kinds of meetings, Japan and the US will share the fruits of their growth and employment and take the lead in building an international economic order that is free and open.

I believe that, in that process, the President will develop a deeper understanding of the close and mutually beneficial economic relationships that Japan and the US have built, including the contributions that Japanese companies have made to the growth and innovation of the US economy and to the expansion of that nation's exports.

For its part, Keidanren hopes to work even more vigorously to contribute to the further strengthening of US-Japan relations, by engaging in strategic policy-related public relations activities, such as actively communicating Japanese companies' contributions to the federal and state administrations and legislative assemblies in the United States. We will also work to gather information and build wide-ranging networks across all levels of American society.