[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister Kishida regarding His Visit to the United States of America (3)

(On how the Prime Minister would sum up his visit to the United States having completed all scheduled events; on the prospects for Japan-Republic of Korea bilateral relations in the future)

First, during this official visit to the United States, my thoughts have been on sending out a future-oriented message regarding what kind of world Japan and the United States as global partners should leave for the next generation and what kinds of efforts we should undertake in order to bring about that future. Through the Japan-U.S. summit meeting as well as my address at the U.S. Congress, I feel that I succeeded in conveying this kind of message to the U.S. Congress, the American people, and also the wider international community.

With regard to our relations with the Republic of Korea (ROK), the election in the ROK is a domestic matter for the ROK, and as such, I believe I must refrain from making any concrete statements from my standpoint. That said, I feel that since last year, cooperation within Japan-ROK bilateral relations has been enhanced both qualitatively and quantitatively across a range of fields, including politics, the economy, and culture. I regard Japan and the ROK as key partners in responding to various issues facing the international community, as well as important neighbors. I consider it to be in both our nations' interests for us to maintain cooperation in our relationship while we continue to expand our relations in multi-layered ways. Accordingly, I believe it is essential to maintain communication with the ROK not only between the leaders but also at all other levels.