On April 10th, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Wakabayashi received a courtesy call from Senator Jim Banks, Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, and welcomed him to the Ministry of Defense. Parliamentary Vice-Minister Wakabayashi expressed his appreciation for ongoing understanding and support within the U.S. Congress, that underpin a strong Japan‑U.S. Alliance. The two sides exchanged views on further strengthening the Japan‑U.S. Alliance and on the regional security environment, and reaffirmed the importance of close coordination between Japan and the United States.
