Chronologies
US - Japan
Chronology from Sep 2018 to Dec 2018
: The 11-nation Comprehensive Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP, or TPP-11) enters into force.
: Japanese Ministry of Defense releases video footage of the incident with the South Korean destroyer on Dec. 20.
: President Trump announces that he will remove Secretary of Defense Mattis early from his office on Jan. 1. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary of defense.
: USTR releases its negotiating objectives for possible US-Japan trade agreement.
: Secretary of Defense James Mattis announces resignation and plan to leave office by the end of February.
: South Korean Navy destroyer locks fire-control radar onto a Maritime Self-Defense Force P-1 patrol aircraft in the Sea of Japan, according to Japanese Ministry of Defense.
: Abe Cabinet announces the 2018 National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG) and the 2019-2023 Mid-Term Defense Program.
: US Trade Representative (USTR) holds a public hearing regarding a proposed US-Japan Trade Agreement.
: President Trump announces that White House Chief of Staff John Kelly will resign by the end of the year.
: Prime Minister Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin agree on a framework for talks on a bilateral peace treaty.
: President Trump, Prime Minister Abe, and Prime Minister Modi meet on sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina.
: Prime Minister Abe and President Trump meet on sidelines of G20 Summit in Argentina.
: Okinawa Gov. Tamaki announces he will hold the relocation referendum for US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Feb. 24, 2019.
: Senior officials from the US, Japan, Australia, and India meet in Singapore for consultations on the Indo-Pacific region.
: Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan meets Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Akiba Takeo in Tokyo.
: Governor of Okinawa Tamaki pledges to hold a referendum on the relocation of US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma sometime in early 2019.
: Vice President Mike Pence visits Japan and meets Prime Minister Abe and Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro. Joint Statement.
: Mid-term elections take place for US congressional, state, and local offices.
: Foreign Minister Kono discusses US-Japan trade talks and disputes with South Korea in an interview with Bloomberg.
: Japanese central government resumes work on relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma after reversing the ban by Okinawa’s Prefectural government.
: Senior officials from Japan and the US hold bilateral Extended Deterrence Dialogue in Tokyo.
: Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi hold Japan-India summit meeting in Tokyo.
: Prime Minister Abe visits China where he meets President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.
: US and Japan hold the second meeting of the Japan-United States Strategic Energy Partnership in Tokyo.
: Central Japanese government asks land ministry to review and invalidate Okinawa Prefectural government decision that suspended relocation work on US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
: Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Tsuji Kiyoto meets family members of former Prisoners of War (POWs) in Tokyo.
: Secretary of State Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kono speak by telephone about Pompeo’s visit to North Korea on Oct. 7.
: Secretary of State Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kono meet in Tokyo.
: Denny Tamaki is elected governor of Okinawa.
: President Trump and Prime Minister Abe meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. They announce the two countries will enter into negotiations for a Japan-United States Trade Agreement on goods and services. Joint Statement.
: Prime Minister Abe and President Trump meet for dinner at Trump Tower in NYC.
: Prime Minister Abe and Foreign Minister Kono visit New York for UN General Assembly meeting.
: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kono Taro speak by telephone about North Korean denuclearization.
: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) sign a Memorandum of Cooperation to strengthen cooperation in financing private sector investment projects.
: Prime Minister Abe Shinzo wins re-election as president of the Liberal Democratic Party.