U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on January 18, 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt M. Campbell and National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs Daniel Russel participate in a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, Japan, January 17, 2013. [State Department photo by William Ng/ Public Domain]

About the Author: Kris M. Balderston serves as the Special Representative for Global Partnerships within the Office of the Secretary of State.

We can achieve more together than we can alone.

That simple statement underscored the premise of the first Global Partnerships Week, which we marked December 9-15, 2012. I saw the power of partnerships firsthand in Dubai, where I participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and our Partners for a New Beginning initiative, while our embassies and missions around the world, from Japan to Brazil, spotlighted the value of partnering with the private sector.

Through educational and media events, competitions, and challenges, we’ve seen the State Department recognize the importance of collaborating with the private sector. In Honduras, for example, the Embassy launched a partnership with a local telecommunications company to provide Internet, cable, and phone access at youth outreach centers. In Haiti, Ambassador Pamela White hosted a reception for businesses… more »

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell delivers remarks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 13, 2012. A text transcript can be found at http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2012/12/201682.htm.

U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda for a bilateral meeting during the East Asia Summit at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, November 20, 2012. President Obama is the first U.S. President to visit Cambodia. [State Department photo by William Ng/ Public Domain]

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
October 23, 2012

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell will travel to San Francisco, Tokyo, and Seoul October 23-27.

Assistant Secretary Campbell will host Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai for the fourth U.S.-China Asia-Pacific Consultations in San Francisco on October 23.

Assistant Secretary Campbell will travel to Tokyo October 24 and will meet with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai and other senior officials October 25-26 to discuss bilateral issues and U.S.-Japan coordination on regional and global issues such as Burma, Iran, and Syria.

Assistant Secretary Campbell will continue to Seoul October 26-27 to meet with Republic of Korea Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-Hyun and other senior officials to continue our close consultation and coordination on the broad range issues of importance to our alliance, including the DPRK, economic issues, and regional cooperation.

Assistant Secretary Campbell will return to Washington, DC, October 27.

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns says security and stability are key to continued economic prosperity in the East Asia and Pacific region as he addresses U.S. Policy Priorities for the East Asia and the Pacific Region during his visit to Tokyo, Japan, October 15, 2012. Go to http://video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns discusses the United States’ commitment to free and transparent trade as he addresses U.S. Policy Priorities for the East Asia and the Pacific Region during his visit to Tokyo, Japan, October 15, 2012. Go to http://video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, September 28, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
August 31, 2012

Following is the text of a joint statement issued by the United States and Japan on the sidelines of the Pacific Island Forum meetings in Rarotonga, Cook Islands on August 31, 2012:

Confirming that Pacific Island Countries (hereinafter referred to as ‘PICs’) have great potential for economic growth while facing various challenges, including sustainable development,

Renewing recognition of the growing importance to Japan and the United States of strengthening relations with PICs,

Recognizing the need to create open and multi-layered governmental and civil society networks in order to establish a prosperous and stable order in the Asia-Pacific region,

Acknowledging that the Communiqué of the Forty-Second Pacific Islands Forum identified certain areas and issues for focus in achieving sustainable economic development in PICs,

Bearing in mind the importance of disaster management measures in PICs, which have unique vulnerabilities to natural disasters,

Japan and the United States reaffirmed their continued dedication to promoting stability, prosperity, and sustainable development in the entire Pacific region.

The two countries reconfirmed the importance of ‘equal partnership’ and ‘respect for the Pacific Way’ as the basic principles of their coordination and collaboration with PICs. In order to provide greater impact and benefit to this critically important region, the two countries have identified the following areas as priorities for collaborative projects and efforts: MORE