Chronologies
US - Japan
Chronology from Jan 2017 to May 2017
: North Korea tests a Scud-class short-range ballistic missile, which flies 280 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan.
: President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Abe Shinzo meet in Taormina, Italy on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. They discuss cooperation on North Korea, maritime issues, and terrorist threats.
: North Korea tests a Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile, which flies 310 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan.
: Fourth US-Japan Comprehensive Dialogue on Space convenes in Washington. The dialogue is co-chaired by the Executive Office of the President’s National Security Council and Office of Science and Technology Policy for the US, and by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Space Policy Secretariat, Cabinet Office for Japan.
: North Korea tests a Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM), which it says is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The missile flies 430 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan.
: US Senate confirms Robert Lighthizer (82-14 vote) as US Trade Representative.
: Guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain collides with a South Korean fishing vessel in international waters east of the Korean Peninsula. No injuries are reported.
: Japan sends its largest destroyer, the Izumo, to accompany the USS Carl Vinson on regional patrols.
: North Korea test-fires a ballistic missile from Pukchang airfield, which breaks apart minutes after takeoff.
: Secretary Tillerson and Foreign Minister Kishida speak at the UN Security Council about threats posed by the North Korean nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
: Secretary Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats issue joint statement condemning North Korean missile launches and stressing coordination with Japan and Korea.
: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Yun travels to Tokyo for trilateral meeting with Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Kanasugi and Special Representative for Korea Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim.
: Prime Minister Abe and President Trump speak over telephone about recent North Korean missile tests and the role of China.
: Finance Minister Aso and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin meet on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers Meeting in Washington to discuss economic cooperation and currency issues.
: Foreign Minister Kishida meets with Secretary of Commerce Ross in Tokyo to discuss US-Japan economic relations.
: Vice President Pence visits Tokyo to host the first meeting of the Japan-US Economic Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister Aso. They issue a joint press release.
: North Korea test-fires a ballistic missile from eastern port of Sinpo that explodes almost immediately after launch.
: Foreign Minister Kishida and Secretary Tillerson meet on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Italy.
: Prime Minister Abe and President Trump speak over telephone about US actions in Syria and exchange views on North Korea and China.
: Prime Minister Abe and President Trump speak over telephone about North Korea’s ballistic missile launch.
: Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Mar-a-Lago for a summit with President Trump.
: North Korea test fires a medium-range ballistic missile from eastern part of Sinpo into the Sea of Japan.
: Kanasugi Kenji, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Joseph Yun, special representative for North Korea policy, hold teleconference on the situation in North Korea, and agree to urge North Korea to refrain from further provocations and comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
: Defense Department announces that three CV-22 Osprey aircraft to be based at Yokota Air Base are expected to arrive in fiscal 2020 (delayed from the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017).
: Secretary Mattis phones Defense Minister Inada Tomomi to discuss North Korea’s missile launches.
: North Korea test-fires four ballistic missiles from the Tongchang-ri launch site in northwest North Korea; some fall in the Sea of Japan.
: US Special Representative for North Korea Joseph Yun hosts trilateral meeting in Washington with Kanasugi Kenji, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Kim Hong-kyun, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs.
: Wilbur Ross is confirmed as Commerce secretary by the US Senate.
: Secretary of State Tillerson, Foreign Minister Kishida, and Korea’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se meet on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bonn, Germany and issue joint statement on North Korea’s ballistic missile.
: Steven Mnuchin is confirmed as Treasury secretary by the US Senate.
: Prime Minister Abe and President Trump hold joint press conference in Palm Beach, Florida, to condemn North Korea’s missile launch.
: North Korea test-fires an intermediate-range Pukguksong-2 ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan.
: Prime Minister Abe visits Washington DC, and Florida for a summit with President Trump. Joint Statement.
: Secretary of Defense James Mattis meets Prime Minister Abe in Tokyo to reaffirm the importance of the US-Japan alliance. Readout.
: Rex Tillerson is confirmed as secretary of State by the US Senate.
: Prime Minister Abe calls President Trump to congratulate him on his inauguration. They agree that Abe will visit the US in February for a Japan-US summit.
: James Mattis is confirmed as secretary of Defense by the US Senate.
: Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. Inaugural Address. Mike Pence is inaugurated as the 48th vice president.
: Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio and Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy sign the Agreement on Cooperation with regard to the Implementation Practices relating to the Civilian Component of the US Armed Forces in Japan, supplementary to the Status of US Forces Agreement.
: Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and Vice President Joe Biden hold a telephone conference, in which Abe thanks Biden for his strong support of the Japan-US alliance.