Bilateral and Policy Unit
This office manages the broad array of U.S.-Japan political interests, including bilateral relations and cooperation on external or third-country issues. Officers covering Japanese domestic politics analyze the workings of the Japanese government, political parties, elections and broad political trends, tracking day-to-day developments in the Japanese body politic and helping define their significance for American interests. These diplomats also arrange meetings with senior politicians as needed to advance U.S. government interests.
Officers focusing on external affairs work to obtain Japan's cooperation on issues of mutual concern to the U.S. and Japan, and report and analyze official Japanese thinking on foreign policy issues. These officers generally handle Embassy contact with the Foreign Ministry regarding international political topics and interact with other embassies.