Antony Blinken meets with Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya amid tensions over steel deal
(MENAFN) On Tuesday, Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya hosted outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tokyo for discussions on bilateral relations and regional matters. The meeting occurred amid growing tensions following the Biden administration's decision to block the acquisition of US Steel by Japanese company Nippon Steel.
The two officials attended a working lunch and held talks on strengthening ties between the two nations. Reflecting on the deepening relationship, Blinken noted that this was his final trip to Japan as Secretary of State and recalled his first official visit to Japan in 2021.
"This allyship, I believe, it's actually stronger than it's ever been," Blinken remarked.
Iwaya responded, "Looking ahead, I am committed to elevating the Japan-US alliance to new heights."
Highlighting the significance of the partnership, Blinken mentioned that he had visited Japan seven times over the past four years and made 21 trips to the Indo-Pacific region, according to a statement from the US State Department.
Blinken's visit to Japan, which hosts over 50,000 American troops under a bilateral defense pact, came at least two weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House.
“Even though we’re in political transition (in Washington), the world doesn’t stop. It doesn’t wait for our transitions. There is much on our common agenda that it’s important that we’re working on," Blinken said during the meeting.
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