Oct. 28 - The Embassy has established a "Green Team" to answer President Obama's call in his Executive Order signed October 5 for "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance." All federal agencies, including the State Department, have 90 days to establish a set of greenhouse gas reduction targets to be met by 2020. The Embassy Green Team welcomes suggestions and ideas from our Japanese friends and partners on how best to achieve our ambitious goals. Contact: TokyoGreenTeam@state.gov.

• White House blog posting by Nancy Sutley, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality

Oct. 28 - On October 26 in Washington, the State Department released its 2009 International Religious Freedom Report, an annual report which examines how governments in 198 countries and territories are protecting or failing to protect religious freedom. As President Barack Obama stated in his Cairo speech, "People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind and the heart and the soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it's being challenged in many different ways."

• Secretary of State Clinton's remarks and video
• Briefing by Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
• Report on Japan

Oct. 23 - During his October 20-21 visit to Japan, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates met with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, calling the U.S.-Japan partnership "the cornerstone of our security policy in Asia." Citing "great opportunities" to further strengthen the U.S.-Japanese security relationship in cooperation with the new Japanese government, Defense Secretary Gates re-emphasized the need to move forward with the previously agreed realignment plan.

• "Gates, Japanese Leaders Vow Continued Cooperation" by American Forces Press Service
• Defense Department Photo Essay by U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Jerry Morrison
• Remarks by Secretary Gates at his October 21 Joint Press Conference with Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa

Oct. 20 - Friday, October 23, is the last day to register for the bilateral Investment Promotion Seminar to be held in Yokohama on Wednesday, October 28. This seminar is the latest in a series co-sponsored by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the U.S. Department of State. The theme of this year's event is cross-border investment in environmental technologies, and it coincides with the Green Device 2009 trade show for new energy, new lighting, and energy conservation businesses. [More information and registration]

Oct. 20 - David Luna, Director for Anti-Crime Programs in the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, traveled to Tokyo October 19 to meet with Japanese officials on Japan's upcoming chairmanship of the APEC Anticorruption and Transparency Task Force. Prior to coming to Japan, Mr. Luna delivered remarks October 16 at the U.S.-China APEC Anticorruption and Transparency (ACT) Workshop on Implementation of APEC Leaders' Integrity Initiative and Principles of Conduct in Beijing. "With strong APEC leadership," Mr. Luna said, "especially through the work of the APEC ACT Task Force - we are sending a strong message internationally that economies in the Asia Pacific region are backing up their commitments to fight corruption, undertake responsible governmental functions with the highest level of ethical conduct, and promote market integrity."

Oct. 19 - Ambassador John V. Roos and the Ambassadors of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom, met with Japanese Minister of Justice Keiko Chiba on October 16, calling upon Japan to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which was created to protect children from the harmful effects of their wrongful removal or retention across international borders. Japan is the only G-7 nation that has not signed the convention. The Australian Ambassador was represented at the meeting by his Deputy Head of Mission. [Full Joint Statement]

Oct.15 - Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt M. Campbell visited Tokyo October 11-12. Upon arrival, he told the media, "We have been involved in a very deep set of consultations with our new partners in the Japanese government, and we're talking about a whole range of issues - our alliance issues, questions associated with regional security and other global responsibilities."

• Oct. 11: Remarks Upon Arrival in Japan
• Oct. 12: Remarks at the Japanese Ministry of Defense

Oct. 13 - Ambassador John V. Roos, accompanied by his son and his parents, visited the Peace Park in the city of Hiroshima with Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba on October 4. He also toured the Peace Memorial Museum, and stated, "I am deeply grateful that three generations of my family were able to come here today," noting, "We were deeply moved by what we saw." [Full statement]

Oct. 6 - Dr. Nina Fedoroff, Special Advisor on Science and Technology to the U.S. Secretary of State, visited Japan Oct. 1-6 to attend the Science and Technology in Society forum in Kyoto. After meetings in Tokyo on Oct. 2, Dr. Fedoroff held a press briefing at the Embassy regarding biotechnology, food security, and the effects of climate change on agriculture.

• Secretary Clinton's remarks at Food Security Event hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during UNGA, September 26, New York
• "Food Security: U.S. Commitment to Action" - State Department video and text
• Additional remarks on food security

Oct. 6 - Deputy Secretary James B. Steinberg led an interagency delegation to Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Republic of Korea, and Japan Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. In Tokyo on Oct. 1, the Deputy Secretary met with Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano, Vice Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka, and Deputy Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae to consult with our Japanese allies on the U.S.-Japan relationship and on other regional and global issues.