On Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves concluded his official visit to Japan to deepen two-way commerce, trade and investment ties with a focus on critical and emerging technologies, and his leadership of the U.S. Cybersecurity Business Development Mission to East Asia, accompanied by a delegation of 15 innovative U.S. cybersecurity companies to explore commercial opportunities in South Korea and Japan.

While in Tokyo, the Deputy Secretary held meetings with Japanese government officials, including Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Parliamentary Vice Minister Taku Ishii; Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Junji Suzuki; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) State Minister Konosuke Kokuba; and Japan Bank for International Cooperation Chairman Tadashi Maeda. The Deputy Secretary and his counterparts discussed cybersecurity best practices and private sector solutions, deeper collaboration on critical and emerging technologies, efforts to strengthen export controls enforcement, as well as successful completion of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity and cooperation in third countries. In these engagements, he emphasized the enduring importance of the United States’ and Japan’s bilateral relationship for ensuring the collective economic and national security and a prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

The Deputy Secretary and the METI Parliamentary Vice Minister Ishii explored closer coordination in view of the new Commerce and Industry Ministers track launched at the U.S.-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Summit in August. In another meeting with the MLIT State Minister Kokuba the two discussed the upcoming U.S.-Japan Tourism Year 2024. In a sign of confidence that the water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is safe and in accordance with international standards, the Vice Minister Ishii and the Deputy Secretary sampled food locally sourced from Fukushima.

The Deputy Secretary led a discussion with members of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan allowing members of the U.S. Cybersecurity Business Development Mission Delegation to learn first-hand about Japan’s cybersecurity policy priorities. Members of the U.S. Cybersecurity Business Development Mission Delegation also met with Keidandren who introduced them to Japanese business representatives, where they discussed national security.

Deputy Secretary Graves concluded his trip with a policy speech at Temple University Japan, detailing the Department’s focus on critical and emerging technologies including semiconductors, clean technologies, biotechnologies, and cybersecurity. “A linchpin of these efforts,” he said, referring to the goals of a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific and a strong partnership between the U.S. and Japan.

As part of his trip, Deputy Secretary Graves also visited Seoul, South Korea. Please click here to learn more.