October 15, 2015 — Tokyo, Japan
An 11-member AJC leadership delegation just concluded a two-day visit to Japan.
The trip was highlighted by a 30-minute meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, marking the third time that AJC has met the Prime Minister in the past year.
The delegation, led by AJC President Stanley Bergman and Executive Director David Harris, also met with senior members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including officials responsible for relations between Japan and both North America and the Middle East; Israeli Ambassador Ruth Kahanoff; and United States Deputy Chief of Mission Jason Hyland. The AJC group met as well with senior representatives of Keidanren, the prominent Japanese business group, and leaders of the small, but vibrant Jewish Community of Japan.
Principal topics discussed during the mission included: (a) U.S.-Japan and Japan-Israel bilateral ties; (b) regional developments in East Asia; (c) turmoil in the Middle East; and (d) the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
“We have great respect for Japan's democratic tradition and commitment to promoting peace and stability around the world,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris, who has made many trips to Tokyo over the past 25 years. “In our meetings, we expressed our admiration for Japan, a key U.S. ally, and welcomed the expansive dialogue between Tokyo and Washington. Moreover, we applauded the ever-deepening ties between Japan and Israel, as well as the close personal friendship between the two countries' leaders. We are delighted that, as democratic nations in geopolitically challenging regions, the two like-minded countries continue to identify new areas for cooperation.”
AJC has been actively engaged with Japan for more than 25 years, and maintains close ties with Japanese officials and other representatives in Tokyo, across the United States, in Israel, and other countries through its Asia Pacific Institute. The Institute is chaired by Jeffrey Stone, directed by Shira Loewenberg, and represented in Tokyo by Jerome Rosenberg, all of whom joined the delegation in Japan.
