WASHINGTON – Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside) on ????? ??????? ????????Sept. 28 released the following statement congratulating Shigeru Ishiba for winning the election to both lead Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the country as the next prime minister, while also thanking outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“I offer my warm congratulations to Shigeru Ishiba on his successful election to become LDP leader and prime minister-elect of Japan. I am hopeful that under his leadership, the United States and Japan will continue to strengthen our alliance and deepen our bonds of friendship.
“I am deeply grateful for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s friendship to the United States. His clear-eyed vision of a joint responsibility between our two nations to uphold our shared values in the face of rising aggression in the Indo-Pacific and across the globe was much needed.
“I look forward to this next chapter in the U.S.-Japan relationship with optimism.”