Foreign Pool Report #15 Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary briefs Traveling Japanese Press
- From
- Mineko Tokito
- Sent
- Thursday, March 19, 2026 10:53 PM
I'd like to draw your attention to some of the US-Japan related factsheets that have come out today:
Please open the attached document for the Commerce Dept. Announcement.
I also wanted to share that Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ozaki briefed Traveling Japanese Press earlier today after PM Takaichi spoke with them.
Apologies for the late addition, but this may be helpful for your reporting:
Topics discussed:
(Three Pillars of the Visit to the U.S.) (1) To hold a frank exchange of views between Prime Minister Takaichi and President Trump regarding the situation in Iran, including the Strait of Hormuz, and the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific, which is the most severe and complex since the end of World War II
(2) To reaffirm that the Indo-Pacific is the foundation of peace and prosperity and that the importance of the Japan-U.S. Alliance is greater than ever, and to confirm cooperation to elevate the Japan-U.S. Alliance to new heights
(3) To confirm cooperation toward the further evolution of the FOIP
(Situation in Iran) “President Trump requested that Japan and other countries contribute to ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Prime Minister Takaichi explained that ensuring the safety of navigation is important from the perspective of a stable energy supply, and stated that Japan would continue to do everything possible within the bounds of the law.”
(Defense Spending) “The U.S. side did not raise the issue of increasing defense spending or its assessment of defense spending.”
(North Korea) "We reaffirmed our firm commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and secured President Trump’s full support for the immediate resolution of the abduction issue."
(Situation in Iran and Energy) “I explained Japan’s position and views to date, and emphasized the importance of efforts to bring the situation under control as soon as possible and to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, including energy security.” “With a view to securing crude oil supplies for Japan and Asia, we confirmed that Japan and the United States will work together to expand U.S. energy production. I conveyed our desire to establish a joint venture to stockpile crude oil procured from the United States.”
(Economic Security) "We agreed to further strengthen Japan-U.S. cooperation in areas such as ensuring a stable energy supply, critical minerals, and cutting-edge technology fields including AI. Regarding critical minerals, we compiled three documents: an action plan to strengthen supply chains with like-minded nations, a fact sheet on the Japan-U.S. Critical Minerals Project that contributes to supply chain resilience, and a memorandum of cooperation on the development of marine mineral resources, including rare earth mud, in the waters around Minamitorishima."
(Energy) "We have announced the second batch of projects under our strategic investment initiative, which includes the construction of SMRs.This announcement is of great significance given the rapid growth in global electricity demand and the current situation, including the situation in the Middle East."
(Security) "The two leaders agreed to advance broad security cooperation, including joint development and production of missiles."
(On the atmosphere of the meeting) “To be honest, we were a little worried that the meeting might be going on too long, but the Prime Minister and President Trump really were having a very cordial conversation.”
(Taiwan) "We also discussed various issues concerning Taiwan and China, and confirmed that Japan and the United States will continue to cooperate closely." Regarding the exchange on Taiwan, "we will refrain from providing details."
Ozaki: I will now explain the recent Japan-U.S. summit. First, regarding the objectives and significance of this visit to the United States:
First and foremost, to facilitate a frank exchange of views between Prime Minister Takaichi and President Trump on the current severe international situation, particularly the tense and critical situation in Iran—including the Strait of Hormuz—and the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific, which is the most severe and complex since the end of World War II; second, to reaffirm, amidst this challenging international environment, that the Indo-Pacific isthe foundation of peace and prosperity and that the importance of the Japan-U.S. Alliance has never been greater, and to confirm concrete cooperation to elevate the Japan-U.S. Alliance to new heights; and third,
Third, to reaffirm that the Indo-Pacific is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity and that the importance of the Japan-U.S. Alliance is greater than ever, and to confirm concrete cooperation to elevate the Japan-U.S. Alliance to new heights. Fourth, to reaffirm the commitment of the Japan-U.S. leaders to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), a pillar of Japan’s diplomacy, and to confirm cooperation toward the further evolution of the FOIP.
I believe these are the main objectives. Furthermore, another objective of this visit to the United States is to further strengthen the relationship of trust between the two leaders.
Although this was only their second face-to-face meeting, to be frank, the bond of trust between the two was so evident that it was hard to believe it was just their second meeting. President Trump himself seemed very much to be looking forward to reuniting with Prime Minister Takaichi, and he demonstrated his respect for her as a strong leader—for example, by introducing her to the press at the start of the meeting as “a special person who achieved a record-breaking victory.”
It was precisely because of this strong bond of trust that, while the atmosphere was relaxed,
they were able to engage in a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the various challenges
facing Japan and the United States. I hope that the bond of trust between the two leaders
will deepen further at the dinner hosted by President Trump this evening.
[Situation in Iran] First, regarding the situation in Iran, Prime Minister Takaichi explained to President Trump what Japan’s position and views were to date, while emphasizing the importance of efforts to bring the situation to an early resolution and to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, including energy security. In particular, regarding the stable supply of energy, with a view to crude oil procurement in Japan and Asia, we confirmed that Japan and the United States will work together to expand the production of U.S. energy. Furthermore, Prime Minister Takaichi conveyed to President Trump Japan’s desire to realize a joint project to stockpile crude oil procured from the United States in Japan.
[Economic Security] Regarding economic security, the two leaders agreed to further strengthen Japan-U.S. cooperation in areas such as ensuring a stable energy supply—which has become increasingly important under current circumstances—as well as critical minerals and advanced technology sectors, including AI. Regarding critical minerals, the two sides were able to finalize three documents: an action plan to strengthen supply chains with like-minded nations, a fact sheet on the Japan-U.S. Critical Minerals Project aimed at strengthening supply chains, and a memorandum of cooperation on the development of marine mineral resources, including rare earth mud, in the waters around Minamitorishima.
[Energy Sector] In the energy sector, we announced the second wave of projects under our strategic investment initiative, which includes the construction of SMRs. We consider this announcement to be of great importance, given the rapid growth in global electricity demand and the current situation, including the situation in the Middle East.
[Tariffs] The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the steady implementation of the tariff agreement. Furthermore, after confirming their opposition to any regulations—including export controls—that threaten the stable supply of critical materials such as minerals, they agreed to work together to strengthen supply chains.
[FOIP and Partnerships with Like-Minded Nations]
Next, regarding the Indo-Pacific and partnerships with like-minded nations, specifically the FOIP, the two leaders confirmed the importance of strengthening regional networks of like-minded nations—such as Japan-U.S.-South Korea, Japan-U.S.-Philippines, and Japan-U.S.-Australia-India—and agreed to maintain close coordination between Japan and the U.S. on various issues concerning China.
Furthermore, regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, we reaffirmed our firm commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea, and President Trump expressed his full support for the immediate resolution of the abduction issue.
[Security] Regarding security matters, the two leaders agreed to advance broad-ranging security cooperation, including joint missile development and production.
Finally, it was highly meaningful that Prime Minister Takaichi and President Trump were able to confirm that, based on their strong mutual trust, they would concretely advance high-quality Japan-U.S. cooperation across a wide range of fields—including the economy, economic security, and national security—and elevate the Japan-U.S. alliance to new heights.
Q&A
Q) When Prime Minister Takaichi said she supported President Trump during their meeting, did she mean to express support for U.S. efforts to stabilize the situation in the Middle East?
Ozaki: Regarding Prime Minister Takaichi’s remarks on the situation in Iran, she made the following statements.
First, she clarified Japan’s position that Iran’s past efforts to develop nuclear weapons
can never be tolerated. She also expressed Japan’s grave concern over and condemnation of Iran’s actions, including those that threaten production in the Strait of Hormuz, the safety of navigation, and that we condemn such actions. She further emphasized the importance of working with the international community, including the United States, to achieve an early de-escalation of the situation and to realize peace and stability in the Middle East, including the secure supply of international energy.
In this context, regarding the stable supply of energy in particular, she stated that Japan intends to work together to expand the production of U.S. energy, starting with crude oil procurement in Japan and Asia.
She also mentioned that he would like to establish a joint venture in Japan to stockpile crude oil procured from the United States. Furthermore, she noted that Japan had participated in the joint statement issued by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Taking these developments into account, Japan demonstrated its commitment to making a solid contribution to peace in the Middle East and to the stable supply of energy.
Q. After the press conference, there was a lengthy meeting. Could you please describe the atmosphere as observed by the Deputy Secretary, and also explain whether the Japanese side was able to achieve the outcomes it had initially anticipated regarding economic matters and regional developments, and how those results are being evaluated?
Ozaki: A) In a nutshell, I believe the talks proceeded very successfully and concluded successfully. Since we wanted to delve deeply into the discussions, we decided to hold the working lunch—which we had originally planned—as part of the meeting. We had anticipated it would last about an hour, but in reality, it went on for much longer, with various discussions taking place.
Furthermore, I would like to add that after the talks ended, we had a very enjoyable informal chat. In the Oval Office, the President introduced everyone to his desk, pointing out, for example, “This is a pen,” and even gave pens to everyone, including the Prime Minister. He also showed us into the small room next door and shared stories like, “I use this fragrance,” and so on. The meeting took place in a very—how should I put it?—cordial atmosphere, and the atmosphere throughout was very positive. I believe the meeting took place in a very good atmosphere.
As for the results of the meeting, we were able to thoroughly discuss the points I mentioned at the beginning. Furthermore, since there is a dinner reception later, I believe we will be able to use that time to have additional discussions as well. However, I think we were already able to cover the main points sufficiently during the summit meeting just now.
To be honest, we were a bit worried that the meeting was running so long—we wondered if that was okay. But in the end, it was the staff members from the U.S. who were concerned, saying, “Mr. President, we’ve gone over the scheduled time,” and that’s how it concluded.
So, Prime Minister and President Trump were truly engaged in a warm and friendly conversation.The meeting proceeded in a pleasant atmosphere, involving all the participants, and it felt like a genuine exchange. It seemed like a friendly discussion continued afterward as well.
Q. I would like to ask about two specific points regarding the dispatch of naval vessels in response to the situation in Iran. The Prime Minister mentioned earlier during his impromptu remarks that he had provided a detailed and thorough explanation of what Japan can and cannot do within the bounds of Japanese law. I would like to ask what President Trump’s reaction was to Japan’s response and stance, and whether you felt he was convinced by it.
Additionally, I would like to ask about how you explained Japan’s position regarding China, and whether you believe you were able to align Japan’s perspective on China with that of the United States, which appears to have been your initial objective. I would appreciate your comments on these two points.
Ozaki: Regarding President Trump’s inquiry about the dispatch of minesweepers—as the Prime Minister mentioned earlier, the Prime Minister’s response was exactly as she stated. She also explained that there are things that can and cannot be done within the scope of the law, and on that basis, she stated that Japan will firmly carry out whatever actions are possible moving forward. As for further details of the exchange, since this involves diplomatic communications, I would like to refrain from providing further comment. As I mentioned earlier, the atmosphere was warm after the meeting concluded. From Japan’s perspective, we made our case where necessary, but the meeting concluded in the United States with that kind of positive atmosphere.
Regarding China—and also North Korea—as I explained our country’s position on various issues, we confirmed that Japan and the United States will maintain close coordination. I apologize, but I would prefer to refrain from going into too much detail regarding diplomatic exchanges; however, to put it simply, we confirmed that Japan and the United States will maintain close coordination on various issues concerning China and North Korea.
Q. Could you please tell us whether President Trump specifically requested the dispatch of escort vessels or minesweepers today, and also, regarding security matters, what kind of assessment President Trump or the U.S. side made of Japan’s defense spending, or whether there was any discussion about increasing defense spending?
Ozaki: It is my understanding that President Trump requested that Japan and other countries contribute to ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Prime Minister Takaichi explained that ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is important from the perspective of securing a stable energy supply, and stated that Japan would continue to do everything possible within the bounds of the law. I will refrain from providing further details. Furthermore, there was no mention from the U.S. side regarding an increase in defense spending or an assessment of defense spending.
Q. First, regarding President Trump’s remarks at the start of the meeting, in which he praised Japan’s stance on the situation in Iran to date, I believe he also specifically mentioned praising Japan’s remarks from the day before yesterday. Could you clarify exactly which of Japan’s stances or actions he was referring to?
Second, the French President mentioned that there had been discussions between Japan and the United States regarding defense equipment. Could you elaborate on the specifics of those discussions?
Third, regarding Taiwan, what kind of discussion took place today? Specifically, the report compiled by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence mentioned that remarks made in the Diet regarding a contingency in Taiwan indicated a shift in the government’s position.
Ozaki: First, regarding the first point, I cannot say exactly what President Trump meant when he spoke of “praising” something—we do not know either—but as I mentioned earlier, based on the Prime Minister’s remarks, we are moving forward with initiatives such as Japan’s proposals for new joint ventures—for example, those premised on a stable energy supply—or proposals for joint ventures regarding crude oil reserves, as well as working together to expand U.S. energy production, and issuing a joint statement involving the UK, Germany, France, Iran, and Japan, as I mentioned earlier. We surmise that his remarks likely referred to these efforts as a whole, including such initiatives.
As for the purchase of U.S. defense equipment, regarding the nature of the discussions that took place, while I will refrain from providing specific details due to diplomatic considerations,
the two sides agreed to further advance a wide range of security cooperation—including joint missile development and production—with the aim of further strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance. That is the situation.
This is my third point, which concerns Taiwan. First, let me state at the outset that,
while the report claims Japan’s position has changed, as I mentioned at yesterday’s Chief Cabinet Secretary’s press conference, Japan’s position has not changed. I would like to make that clear. Regarding that matter, while I will refrain from providing details on the specific discussions we had concerning relations with China, including the situation in Taiwan, we did discuss various issues related to Taiwan and China, and confirmed that Japan and the United States will continue to cooperate closely in the future.
Q. Was there a moment today when you felt the need to reiterate to President Trump that Japan’s position has not changed?
Ozaki: I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to go into details at this time. However, as I mentioned repeatedly during yesterday’s press conference and in the Diet, and as I stated again today during the press conference—where I explicitly referred to the report—our position has not changed. Therefore, I believe we can now openly discuss this matter.
Q. Regarding Taiwan’s response, in the past—such as in the joint statement issued following last year’s meeting between Prime Minister Ishiba and his U.S. counterpart—there were exchanges expressing a desire for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues. I would like to confirm whether the discussions this time took place within that framework.
Ozaki: I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to go into details at this time. In any case, Japan and the United States will maintain close coordination on various issues concerning China.
Q. As the Prime Minister prepares for this summit, I imagine there have been some unusual developments—such as the working lunch turning into a formal meeting while on the plane—but having observed the Prime Minister’s preparations up close, what are your thoughts?
Ozaki: First of all, we were truly able to sign a large number of memorandums of understanding regarding the economy this time. With these memorandums, as well as joint statements, we achieved significant results. Also, regarding the situation in Iran, for example, the decision for Japan to participate in the issuance of this statement by various countries was made at the very last minute, so that was the situation. I believe officials from all relevant ministries and agencies were doing their utmost to prepare for this Japan-U.S. summit. As everyone gave their all and responded to the situation as it evolved moment by moment, they reported that information to the Prime Minister in real time, and based on that, the Prime Minister constantly discussed with his staff what statements to make, confirming each one step by step. In that sense, amidst a situation that was changing by the minute, I believe the Prime Minister continued his preparations right up until the very last moment before facing this Japan-U.S. summit.
Q. The Trump administration has included Japan in its Section 301 investigation. Regarding this matter, you mentioned earlier that you had confirmed the steady implementation of last year’s Japan-U.S. agreement. Did Prime Minister Takaichi request that Japan be excluded from the scope of this investigation, or regarding such related inquiries?
Ozaki: Regarding the tariff issue, I believe there were no detailed discussions between the President and myself. Minister Akazawa and Secretary Ratnick have been engaged in intensive discussions, and both sides are committed to the steady implementation of past tariff agreements. As I mentioned earlier, we confirmed the steady implementation of the Japan-U.S. agreements regarding tariffs.
Q. I have two points I’d like to confirm. Earlier, there was a question regarding whether President Trump had requested the dispatch of naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz today. Is it correct to say that President Trump did not make such a request today, but rather that the Japanese side conveyed that we would “do what we can within the bounds of the law”? My second point is that the meeting began at 12:37 p.m. today, and the press was called in at 12:42 p.m. While the exchange may not have taken place strictly at the very beginning, what exactly happened during the first five minutes?
Ozaki: First, regarding the situation in Iran, I’ve been explaining it in detail just now, haven’t I? I believe I’ve been explaining it in detail since the beginning, and Prime Minister Takaichi made remarks on that matter. Following that, President Trump requested contributions from various countries regarding the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, as I mentioned earlier, Prime Minister Takaichi provided an answer. I hope you can understand the sequence of events as I have described. As for the first five minutes of the meeting, it was truly a very cordial discussion—congratulations on winning the election and the like—and the atmosphere was, well, how should I put it...perhaps I should have described it as similar to the atmosphere I mentioned earlier, but to put it simply, it was like a meeting between old acquaintances, with remarks such as praise for his strong performance during the election campaign,
and there was nothing related to any so-called political agenda.
Q. For example, are there any plans for future actions, such as inviting President Trump to Japan again, or inviting him to your home?
Ozaki: Should I say something? Probably. We agreed to continue communicating closely
and that the other party would naturally agree to this, so we reached a consensus
to maintain close communication. As for whether this will be put into concrete terms,
we haven’t discussed any specifics yet.
Q. This is Kawasaki from NHK. I’d like to go over the economic aspects in detail. First, during today’s impromptu visit, the Prime Minister spoke of cooperation to expand U.S. energy production, but did not mention Alaska-produced energy specifically. Was there any discussion during the meeting regarding increasing production or procurement of Alaska-produced energy?
Also, regarding the announcement on investment, it states that a second round of projects will be announced. Is it correct to understand that these projects have not yet been selected by the consultative committee and have not received the President’s final approval, but are still at the candidate stage?
Ozaki: Regarding the Alaska statement mentioned earlier, as I said just now, with respect to the stable supply of energy—specifically with an eye toward securing crude oil supplies for Japan and Asia—we confirmed that Japan and the United States will work together to expand the production of U.S.-produced energy. That is the gist of it. I would like you to proceed with that in mind.
Q. Do you interpret this to mean that there was no mention of the region, or is it simply that you cannot comment on that?
Ozaki: I would prefer not to go into specifics on that, but in any case, Japan and the United States will work together to expand U.S. energy production. Second point—I’m sorry, but I’m not sure exactly which stage of the process we were discussing just now, so please check with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Q. I apologize for bringing up the Strait of Hormuz, but I feel that President Trump’s statements were quite inconsistent—first asking Japan to dispatch naval vessels before the meeting, then retracting that request afterward. How did the Japanese government interpret this, and were there any internal discussions within the government regarding it? Also, at the beginning of the meeting, I believe there was a remark in which he praised Japan’s stance on the situation in Iran but also expressed the expectation that Japan would do a little more. What was the Prime Minister’s response to that?
Ozaki: That is exactly what I said. I believe I have mentioned this several times already, but as far as internal discussions within the Japanese government are concerned, rather than focusing on President Trump’s remarks and so on, the most important point—as I mentioned earlier—is that the situation was evolving right up until the last minute, and we held numerous discussions in response to those developments. For example, regarding the joint statement, the decision to actually participate was made relatively late—in fact, quite recently—and in that sense, we engaged in extensive discussions on a wide range of issues right up until the Japan-U.S. summit.
Q. Regarding the exchange of statements?
Ozaki: In any case, I believe the Prime Minister mentioned that Japan had participated in that statement, and I believe the President acknowledged that.
Q. I seem to recall reports suggesting Japan might participate in the Golden Dome initiative.
Ozaki: To put it simply, the two leaders agreed to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance and to further advance a wide range of security cooperation, including the joint development and production of missiles.
I will refrain from providing further details, but as I mentioned earlier, the two leaders discussed these matters.
Q. I’ve heard that there were plans to present 250 cherry trees to mark the 250th anniversary.
Did this actually happen?
Ozaki: I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding, but this doesn’t mean we’re bringing all 250 trees here today. What it means is that we will be planting 250 trees over the course of this year. I’m sorry. It’s not as if everyone brought 250 trees here today all at once; that’s not the case. So, during today’s summit discussions, it was mentioned that, taking this visit to the U.S. as an opportunity, these 250 trees will be planted in the U.S. over the course of the year.
Q. Regarding any cherry tree events?
A) (Staff) There was a single sapling at the entrance to the White House, which was introduced. A photo was taken there on the spot.
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Mineko Tokito Abe
Senior Washington Reporter
The Yomiuri Shimbun
General Bureau of the Americas
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