U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicked off talks with his counterpart in Japan on Tuesday, as the top American diplomat seeks to reassure a nervous Tokyo that their alliance will remain robust even after Donald Trump returns to the White House in less than two weeks.
Blinken, fresh off his visit to Seoul, began talks with Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, which was to be followed by a courtesy call to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and later a meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Speaking to reporters ahead of his talks with Iwaya, Blinken highlighted the need for continued momentum on boosting the alliance.
