WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States and Japan will solidify their alliance in order to overcome terrorism, climate challenges that the countries are facing, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said during his address to the US Congress on Wednesday.
“Problems we face include terrorism, infectious diseases, natural disasters and climate change. The time has come for the US-Japan alliance to face up to and jointly tackle, those challenges that are new,” Abe said.
Abe stressed the importance of the US-Japanese alliance, which “has lasted more than a quarter of the entire history of the United States.”
During his address, the Japanese prime minister also urged Washington to take steps to conclude the proposed regional free trade deal, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is expected to be the largest free trade deal in the region.
Abe’s address on Wednesday makes him the first Japanese head of government to address a joint session of the US Congress.
The United States considers Japan to be one of its closest allies. The two sides actively cooperate in economic, military, energy and other areas.
