Chronologies
US - Japan
Chronology from May 2021 to Aug 2021
: Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry visits Tokyo to promote US-Japan cooperation on climate change and meet with Foreign Minister Motegi.
: Representatives from the LDP and Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party hold security talks online for the first time.
: Suga administration expands COVID-19 state of emergency to a total of 21 prefectures.
: Terrorist attack at Kabul airport kills at least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops.
: Navies from the US, Japan, Australia, and India begin the annual MALABAR maritime exercises.
: Former Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio announces that he will run against Prime Minister Suga in the LDP leadership election set for September 29.
: Suga administration suspends use of 1.63 million Moderna doses after the discovery of contaminants in some vaccines.
: Minister of Defense Kishi dispatches SDF aircraft to Afghanistan to evacuate Japanese nationals and locals working for the Japanese Embassy and other organizations.
: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Secretary Yoshida Tomoyuki issues statement welcoming the nomination of Rahm Emanuel as the next US Ambassador to Japan.
: Japanese media publish the story of a young woman who lost her child after she was refused hospital access and forced to give birth at home.
: Takeda Pharmaceutical discovers first case of contaminated Moderna vaccines.
: Senior officials from the US Department of State, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Indian Ministry of External Affairs meet by videoconference to follow up on the Quad Foreign Ministers’ and Leaders’ Meetings held earlier in 2021.
: President Biden and Prime Minister Suga hold a summit talk by telephone.
: National Security Advisor Akiba Takeo meets Secretary Blinken in Washington.
: Closing ceremonies for the Summer Olympics are held in Tokyo.
: Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Motegi speak by telephone.
: US, Japan, Australia, and UK begin the US-led exercises known as Large Scale Global Exercise 21.
: Opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics are held in Tokyo.
: Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Motegi speak by telephone.
: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. says that it is finalizing a decision to open its first chip plant in Japan by 2023.
: Deputy Secretary Sherman meets with Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo in Tokyo.
: Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman meets Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mori Takeo in Tokyo.
: Toyota announces that it will not advertise the Tokyo Olympics.
: Prime Minister Suga meets with members of US Chamber of Commerce and US-Japan Business Council via videoconference.
: American Chamber of Commerce in Japan President Jenifer Rogers meets State Minister for Foreign Affairs Washio Eeichiro in Tokyo.
: Tokyo enters fourth state of emergency related to COVID-19.
: Japan’s Ministry of Defense references stability around Taiwan for the first time in its annual defense report.
: Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro says that Japan should join US in defending Taiwan.
: Foreign Minister Motegi and Secretary Blinken meet on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Italy.
: State Minister of Defense Nakayama Yasuhide says at a Hudson Institute event that democracies such as the US and Japan should stand up to China and back Taiwan.
: Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean, signed by the US, Japan, and eight other countries, enters into force.
: Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force joins the US and Sri Lanka for the first time in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises.
: Media companies tracking COVID-19 vaccinations announce that Japan has reached Prime Minister Suga’s target of 1 million doses per day.
: President Biden and Prime Minister Suga speak on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Cornwall.
: Department of State and Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry hold first Japan-US Clean Energy Partnership meeting.
: US Forces Japan (USFJ) and Government of Japan issue a joint press release on efforts to vaccinate USFJ personnel against COVID-19.
: US and Japan begin their annual Orient Shield military exercise.
: G7 ministers, including those from Japan and the US, issue a joint statement on corruption.
: G7 foreign ministers, including those from Japan and the US, issue a joint statement on Belarus.
: US and Japanese interagency representatives hold first US-Japan Global Digital Connectivity Partnership meeting. Joint Statement.
: Director-level intersessional of the Japan-US Cyber Dialogue is held via video conference.
: Foreign Minister Motegi and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai speak by telephone.
: Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force holds joint exercises with the US and France for the first time.
: Prime Minister Suga announces plan to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccinations to 1 million doses per day.
: Secretary of State Blinken, Foreign Minister Motegi, and Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong meet in London on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
: G7 foreign ministers, including those from Japan and the US, issue a joint statement warning China not to escalate cross-strait tensions with Taiwan.
: Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Motegi meet in London on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.