The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met today with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo in Seoul. Deputy Secretary Sherman and Vice Foreign Minister Mori emphasized the enduring importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance to uphold an inclusive, free, and open Indo-Pacific. The Deputy Secretary and Vice Foreign Minister discussed deepening U.S.-Japan economic cooperation, including plans for a ministerial-level Economic Policy Consultative Committee (EPCC) meeting in July and the importance of strengthening supply chain resiliency in high-tech sectors. The Deputy Secretary and Vice Foreign Minister condemned DPRK missile launches and emphasized the importance of trilateral U.S.-Japan-ROK cooperation to tackle the most pressing regional and global challenges of the 21st Century.