WASHINGTON – Sens. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ???????Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) on Feb. 9 led 27 of their Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-La.), encouraging him to invite Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to address a joint session of Congress during his official visit to the U.S. in April.
“This year marks the 64th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty as well as the 5th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement and U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement,” the senators wrote. “Inviting Prime Minister Kishida to address Congress would be a timely and tangible expression of the unwavering commitment of the United States to our alliance and to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
“Our alliance with Japan is also fundamental to stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” the senators continued. “Japan — a vibrant democracy with strong people-to-people ties with our country — is the fifth-largest goods trading partner with the United States. Japanese firms are the second-largest source of foreign direct investment in our country.”
“A strong U.S.-Japan alliance is more important than ever. Inviting Prime Minister Kishida to address a joint session of Congress would further enhance our bilateral diplomatic ties and highlight the shared strategic interests and values between our two nations,” the senators concluded.
Hirono was born in Japan and Hagerty served as U.S. ambassador to Japan.
The letter was also signed by Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Angus King (I-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).