Jan. 31 - Admiral Robert F. Willard, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, visited Japan Jan. 25-28 for a periodic meeting with General Ryoichi Oriki, Chief of Staff of the SDF Joint Staff, about items of mutual interest with regard to the security of Japan and the region. In speaking to members of the media at the Embassy on Jan. 27, he emphasized "the advantage of the (U.S.-Japan) alliance for the people of Japan, the advantage that this alliance affords the people of the United States, and what this alliance represents, in terms of Northeast Asian security and enabling the prosperity of the region and of both our countries."

Jan. 31 - Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg traveled to Seoul, Tokyo, and Beijing from Jan. 26-28. In all capitals, Deputy Secretary Steinberg exchanged views with senior officials on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including regional security and recent developments on the Korean Peninsula. Following meetings in Tokyo on Jan. 27, he made remarks to the press about North Korea: "I think that there is an opportunity for the North to show that it understands the message that we've all been giving them, which is that it's not going to achieve its objectives through provocation and confrontation."

• Soundbite with video
• Press release about the Deputy Secretary's travel

Jan. 28 - President Barack Obama spoke on his vision and his agenda for the American economy in his State of the Union address in Washington on Jan. 25. The formal basis for the State of the Union address is from the U.S. Constitution, which states that the President "shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union." [White House special webpage on the State of the Union address, including the video]

Jan. 26 - Ambassador John V. Roos, accompanied by his wife Susie, visited Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki in northern Kyushu Jan 22-24. During the visit, Ambassador Roos met with local officials on supporting the U.S.-Japan security alliance, explored ways to further U.S.-Japan cooperation on green technologies, and lauded the formation of Kyushu University's Entrepreneurship Center to stimulate new businesses. He and Susie also enjoyed opportunities to discover Japanese history, culture and traditional arts. Ambassador Roos sent over 40 "tweets" along his path westward across the island.
[Follow Ambassador Roos on Twitter!]

Jan. 21 - U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos and Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara today signed a new five-year Special Measures Agreement that outlines Japan's direct contributions to the U.S.-Japan Alliance through Host Nation Support. Host Nation Support enables the United States to maintain service personnel and some of the world's most advanced military capabilities in Japan. Host Nation Support thus represents a strategic contribution to Japan's defense and to regional peace and stability. [Full press release]

Jan. 19 - The governments of the United States and Japan convened a plenary meeting in Tokyo on Jan. 13 to review and discuss cooperation in the civil use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and GPS augmentations. In this meeting, which strengthened cooperative relations between the United States and Japan, both governments affirmed that continued close cooperation in the area of the navigation satellite system will contribute to the peaceful development of the Asia-Pacific region and promote global economic growth. [Full text of Joint Announcement]

Jan. 19 - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave the inaugural Richard C. Holbrooke Lecture entitled "A Broad Vision of U.S.-China Relations in the 21st Century" in Washington on Jan. 14. She stated, "America and China have arrived at a critical juncture, a time when the choices we make - both big and small - will shape the trajectory of this relationship. And over the past two years, in the Obama Administration, we have created the opportunity for deeper, broader, and more sustained cooperation."

• U.S. Seeks "Positive, Cooperative and Comprehensive" China Ties

Jan. 18 - On Jan. 14, representatives of the United States and Japan concluded a two-day meeting of the U.S.-Japan Trade Forum. The meeting, which covered a range of bilateral trade issues as well as general trade policy issues, was chaired by Wendy Cutler, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan, Korea and APEC Affairs, and Takeshi Yagi, Director General of the Economic Affairs Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two governments raised various issues and exchanged information on their respective trade policies and related initiatives. They also held a discussion on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). [Full text of USTR press release]

Jan. 14 - Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Japan Jan. 12-14 and met with Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and other senior leaders of the Japanese government, including Prime Minister Naoto Kan. At a Joint Press Conference with Minister Kitazawa on Jan. 13, Secretary Gates noted, "In this, the 51st year of the U.S.-Japan alliance, it is important to remember that ours is an enduring and equal partnership based on interests and values that unite our two peoples." In a Jan. 14 speech at Keio University, Secretary Gates spoke about the "wide, deep and rich array of values and interests" that bind the U.S. and Japan together.

• U.S.-Japan Pact Has Demonstrated Worth, Gates Says
• Gates Calls for Strengthening U.S.-Japan Defense Alliance
• Gates Stresses Need to Prevent North Korean Provocations
• Gates Arrives in Japan for Military Talks

Jan. 11 - On Jan. 12, 2010 a devastating earthquake struck Haiti. In the earthquake's aftermath, the United States and Japan joined the international community in mounting an enormous recovery effort. In the U.S., both the government and private sector mobilized resources to assist, while Japan pledged $100 million toward Haiti's reconstruction. Progress has been made in many areas. However, tremendous challenges remain in helping the people of Haiti rebuild from this tragedy. For more information:

• U.S. State Department briefing on the One-Year Anniversary of the Earthquake
• Visit USAID's How You Can Help page
• View the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission website

Jan. 10 - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara in Washington on Jan. 6 and noted in remarks with him following their meeting, "We have a challenging security environment in the East Asia region now. The U.S. is firmly committed to our alliance with Japan, and we continue to work on the full range of significant issues that are part of this bedrock security alliance." Foreign Minister Maehara also met with Vice President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon.

Jan. 7 - This year the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP) celebrated the 100th anniversary of its establishment at the U.S. Department of State. A special State Department blog post noted that, "For the past century, the United States has played an important role in Asia and Asia has played an important role for the United States," and "Overcoming great challenges and celebrating great triumphs, we established long-standing alliances and strong partnerships in the region."

Jan. 6 - "America's history is rich in fascinating stories of innovators and entrepreneurs," Ambassador Roos noted in a video message for History Channel Japan. In his message to Japanese viewers, recorded in advance of the broadcast of a 12-part series on American history beginning Jan. 9, the Ambassador said, "I hope that you will take every opportunity to learn more about the United States of America, our history, our culture, and most of all, our people." President Obama also recorded a message for the series.