Expected Attendees at Tonight’s Japan State Dinner

Expected Attendees at Tonight’s Japan State Dinner

Below is a list of expected attendees at tonight’s Japan State Dinner. Additional details about the State Dinner are available HERE.

THE PRESIDENT and MRS. OBAMA

HIS EXCELLENCY SHINZO ABE, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN and 
MRS. AKIE ABE

Ms. Chitose Abe
Ms. Miki Higasa, New York, NY

Mr. Masatsugu Asakawa

The Honorable Caroline Atkinson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor, National Security Council, Washington, DC
Mr. Geoffrey Boyd Lamb, Washington, DC  

The Honorable Joseph Biden, Vice President of the United States
Dr. Jill Biden

The Honorable Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Representative (Oregon), Washington, DC
The Honorable Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. Representative (Oregon), Washington, DC  

Ambassador William Brownfield, Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC
Ambassador Kristie Kenney, Career Ambassador, United States Foreign Service, Washington, DC  

Ms. Chamein Canton
Mr. Michael Bressler, Commack, NY  

The Honorable Tom Carper, U.S. Senator (Delaware), Washington, DC
Mrs. Martha Carper, Wilmington, DE

The Honorable Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense, Washington, DC
Mrs. Stephanie D. Carter, Washington, DC

The Honorable James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Fairfax, VA
Mrs. Susan Clapper, Fairfax, VA

The Honorable Tom Daschle, Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Washington, DC
Mr. Nathan Daschle, Washington, DC  

The Honorable Brian Deese, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, Washington, DC
Ms. Patricia Stanton

The Honorable Diana DeGette, U.S. Representative (Colorado), Washington, DC
Mr. Lino Lipinsky, Denver, CO  

The Honorable Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Mrs. Samara Foxx, Charlotte, NC

The Honorable Michael Froman, U.S. Trade Representative, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Washington, DC
Ms. Nancy Goodman, Washington, DC

Dr. Helene Gayle, CEO, CARE, Atlanta, GA
Mr. Stephen Keith, Atlanta, GA

Ms. Suzy George, Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff, National Security Council, Washington, DC
Mr. Nate Tibbits, Washington, DC

Mr. Avie Glazer, Palm Beach, FL
Mrs. Jill Glazer, Palm Beach, FL

Ms. Bonny Glenn, Landenberg, PA
Mr. Paul Glenn III, Washington, DC  

The Honorable Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
Mr. Frank Rose, Alexandria, VA 

The Honorable Avril Haines, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor, National Security Council, Washington, DC
Mr. David Davighi, Washington, DC

Mr. Hisao Harihara

Mr. Eiichi Hasegawa

The Honorable Orrin Hatch, President Pro Tempore, U.S. Senate (Utah), Washington, DC
Mr. Rob Porter, Washington, DC

The Honorable Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Mrs. Jeanette Herbert, First Lady of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

The Honorable Mazie Hirono, U.S. Senator (Hawaii), Washington, DC
Mr. Glen Shigeru Fukushima, Washington, DC 

Mr. William Hite, General President, United Association, Wheaton, IL
Ms. Christine Dawson, Carol Stream, IL  

The Honorable Fred Hochberg, Chairman and President, Export-Import Bank, Washington, DC
Mr. Thomas Healy, Miami, FL

Ms. Elizabeth Holmes, Founder and CEO, Theranos, Palo Alto, CA
Mr. Christian Holmes, San Francisco, CA

The Honorable David Ige, Governor of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Mrs. Dawn Ige, First Lady of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Mr. Isao Iijima

Mr. Takaya Imai

Mr. Norihiko Ishiguro

Mr. Hideo Ishizuki

The Honorable Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, Washington, DC
Mr. Mercer Cook III 

Mr. Christopher Johnstone, Director for Japan Affairs, National Security Council, Vienna, VA
Mrs. Mikiko Johnstone, Vienna, VA

Mr. Katsunobu Kato

The Honorable Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, New York, NY
Mr. Edwin Schlossberg, New York, NY  

The Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
Ms. Teresa Heinz, Washington, DC

Ambassador Sung Kim, Special Representative for North Korea Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan, Great Falls, VA
Mrs. Jae-Eun Chung, Great Falls, VA

The Honorable Ron Kind, U.S. Representative (Wisconsin), Washington, DC
Mrs. Tawni Kind, Lacrosse, WI

His Excellency Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan

Mr. Scott Kluth, Chicago, IL
Ms. Janelle Kristin Miller, Chicago, IL  

Ms. Michiyo Kotake

Mr. Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel Corporation, Los Altos, CA
Mrs. Brandee Krzanich, Los Altos, CA

Mr. Jim Lentz III, CEO of Toyota USA, Westlake, TX
Mrs. Barbara Lentz  

The Honorable Jacob Lew, Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC
Ms. Shoshana Lew, Washington, DC

Mr. George Michael Logothetis, CEO, Libra Group, New York, NY

Mr. Nicholas Michael Logothetis, New York, NY  

Mr. Robert Manfred, Commissioner of Major League Baseball
Mrs. Colleen Manfred, Tarrytown, NY

The Honorable Doris Matsui, U.S. Representative (California), Washington, DC
Mr. Brian Matsui, Chevy Chase, MD

The Honorable Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, WA
Mr. Kenneth McCarey

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives (California), Washington, DC
Mr. Connor McCarthy, Bakersfield, CA

The Honorable Denis McDonough, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Washington, DC
Mrs. Karin McDonough, Takoma Park, MD

Mr. Evan Medeiros, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs, National Security Council, Washington, DC
Ms. Bernadette Meehan, Senior Director for Strategic Communications and Spokesperson, National Security Council, Washington, DC  

The Honorable Gregory Meeks, U.S. Representative (New York), Washington, DC
Mrs. Simone-Marie Meeks, St. Albans, NY

The Honorable Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Deputy National Security Advisor, Office of the National Security Advisor, Washington, DC
Ms. Mary Monaco, Manchester, NH  

 The Honorable Walter Mondale, Former Vice President of the United States

The Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Dr. Naomi Moniz, Brookline, MA

Mr. Floyd Mori, National Executive Director, Japanese Americans Citizens League, Arlington, VA
Mrs. Irene Mori, Arlington, VA

Ms. Sabrina Moyle, Co-Founder, Hello! Lucky, San Francisco, CA
Mr. Julian Abdey

The Honorable Shailagh Murray, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, Washington, DC
Mr. Neil King, Washington, DC  

Mr. James Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International, Las Vegas, NV
Mrs. Heather Murren, Las Vegas, NV

Mr. Hiroshi Muto

Mr. David Nakamura, Reporter, The Washington Post, Washington, DC
Ms. Kristine Schenck, Washington, DC  

Mr. Yoshio Nakamura

Ms. Ellen Nakashima, Reporter, The Washington Post, Washington, DC
Mr. Alan Sipress, Washington, DC  

Mr. Gen Nakatani, Minister of Defense of Japan

Dr. Joseph Nye, Washington, DC
Ms. Mary Nye  

Mr. Ron Olivere, Wilmington, DE
Mrs. Joan Olivere, Wilmington, DE

Ms. Priscilla Anne Ouchida, Executive Director, Japanese American Citizens League, Washington, DC
Ms. Elissa Ouchida, Sacramento, CA

Mr. Greg Page, Executive Chairman of Cargill Inc.
Ms. Devry Boughner, Alexandria, VA  

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader, U.S. House of Representatives (California), Washington, DC
Mr. Paul Pelosi, San Francisco, CA

The Honorable Samantha Power, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United Nations, New York, NY

The Honorable Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC
Dr. Bryan Traubert, Chicago, IL

The Honorable Jennifer Psaki, Assistant to the President and Director of Communications, Washington, DC
Mr. Gregory Mecher, Washington, DC

Mr. Bupendra Ram
Ms. Kamla Ram, Washington, DC  ;

Ms. Shonda Rhimes, Writer/Producer, Shondaland, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Scott Brown, Los Angeles, CA

The Honorable Ben Rhodes, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting, Washington, DC
Mrs. Ann Norris, Washington, DC

The Honorable Susan Rice, National Security Advisor, National Security Council, Washington, DC
Mr. John Rice, Jr., Washington, DC

The Honorable Mayor Joe Riley, Jr., Charleston, SC
Mrs. Charlotte Riley

Mr. Arturo Rodriguez, President, United Farm Workers, Keene, CA
Ms. Sonia Rodriguez  ;

Mr. John Roos, Hillsborough, CA
Mrs. Susie Roos, Hillsborough, CA

The Honorable Amy Rosenbaum, Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, Washington, DC
Mr. Joshua Lahey, Washington, DC  

The Honorable Daniel Russel, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
Mrs. Keiko Russel, Washington, DC

The Honorable Catherine Russell, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issue, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
The Honorable Thomas Donilon, Washington, DC  

The Honorable Paul Ryan, U.S. Representative (Wisconsin), Washington, DC
Mrs. Janna Ryan, Janesville, WI

Ms. Naoko Saiki

Mr. Yasuo Sakamoto

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae, Japanese Ambassador to the United States, Washington, DC
Mrs. Nobuko Sasae, Washington, DC

Mr. Charles Scharf, CEO, Visa Inc., New York, NY
Mrs. Amy Scharf, New York, NY

Mr. Bob Schieffer, Anchor, CBS News, Washington, DC
Mrs. Patricia Schieffer, Washington, DC

Mr. Soichiro Seki

Mr. Shane Smith, Co-Founder and CEO, VICE Media, Brooklyn, NY
Mrs. Tamyka Smith, New York, NY

Mr. Shinsuke Sugiyama

Mr. Hiroshi Suzuki

Mr. George Takei, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Brad Takei, Los Angeles, CA

Mr. Tomohiko Taniguchi

The Honorable Tina Tchen, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Washington, DC

Mr. Hideshi Tokuchi

Mr. Koji Tomita

Mrs. Ellen Uchimiya, Executive Editor, CBSNews, Bethesda, MD
Mr. Matt Bai, Bethesda, MD  

Mr. Keith Umemoto, Democratic National Committee, Sacramento, CA
Ms. Yukiko Umemoto, White Plains, NY  

The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Ms. Janet Vilsack, Washington, DC  

Mr. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, Bellevue, WA
Ms. Ciara Harris, Los Angeles, CA

Admiral James Winnefeld, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Henderson Hall, VA
Mrs. Mary Winnefeld, Ft. Myer, VA

The Honorable Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator (Oregon), Washington, DC
Mrs. Nancy Bass Wyden, New York, NY

Mr. Shotaro Yachi

The Honorable Jeffrey Zients, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council, Washington, DC
Mrs. Mary Zients, Washington, DC

President Obama Announces his Intent to Nominate Peter V. Neffenger to lead the Transportation Security Administration

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Vice Admiral Peter V. Neffenger as Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration at the Department of Homeland Security.

President Obama said, “The talent and expertise Vice Admiral Neffenger brings to his new role after more than three decades at the U.S. Coast Guard will be valuable to this Administration’s efforts to strengthen transportation security. He has been a recognized leader in the face of our nation’s important challenges, and I am grateful for his service. I look forward to working with him in the months ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key Administration post:

FACT SHEET: U.S.-Japan Cooperation for a More Prosperous and Stable World

The United States and Japan have built a strategic partnership that encompasses a wide range of shared global priorities.  Today the partnership is a fitting reflection of the common interests, capabilities and values of our two countries as we work together to address challenges around the world.  The United States and Japan reaffirm their commitment to enhance their longstanding partnership as follows:

Expanding Bilateral Economic and People-to-People Ties

The United States and Japan are two of the world’s largest economic powers – accounting for nearly 30 percent of global GDP – and our economies are deeply intertwined through trade and investment.  This deep economic integration has been an extraordinarily positive force for job creation, wage growth, innovation, and enhanced prosperity for both countries.  To further develop those bonds, the United States and Japan endeavor to:

• Further deepen our economic ties.  In 2014, our two-way goods and services trade was $279 billion.  The United States has accumulated foreign direct investment in Japan of $123 billion, while Japan is the second largest foreign investor in the United States, with investment stock of nearly $350 billion. 
• Enhance cooperation and collaboration between SelectUSA and Invest Japan, noting the importance of our strong and growing bilateral investment relationship.
• Facilitate expedited travel by Japan’s participation in the U.S. Global Entry Program and U.S. participation in Japan’s Trusted Traveler Program.
• Expand cooperation in infrastructure development in our respective countries including high speed rail projects, recognizing the importance of developing high speed rail as an investment in the future growth of our economies.
• Continue to strengthen people-to-people ties, including efforts to increase student, research, and legislative exchanges. Welcome the “KAKEHASHI Initiative toward the Future” and the “TOMODACHI Initiative,” and continued efforts by the U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange, which inspired the “Team Up” campaign to promote university-to-university partnerships and programs by the Japan Foundation.

Harnessing Science, Technology, and Innovation for Our Future

Together, the United States and Japan are drawing upon the technical skills and resources of our two nations to:

a. Science, Technology, and Innovation

• Enhance our cooperation on vital research issues, such as biomedical research, robotics, materials research, and computer and information science and engineering, in close cooperation with academic institutions, government research and development institutions, industry, and through the U.S. – Japan Joint High Level Committee on science and technology, based on the U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Agreement, extended in 2014.
• Pursue working together to explore ways to better address the challenges of aging societies by harnessing new technologies and developing innovations.

b. Space

• Reaffirm commitment to secure the responsible, peaceful, and safe use of space.
• Enhance space cooperation from a broad, inclusive, and strategic perspective including through the whole-of-government U.S.-Japan Comprehensive Dialogue on Space with the next session to be held later this year in Tokyo.
• Underscore the importance of continued utilization of the International Space Station, and ensure close cooperation for the next International Space Exploration Forum.
• Increase cooperation in both space science and Earth observation, including meteorology, and in Earth science to address global environmental and climate challenges.
• Recognize continued cooperation on the joint NASA-JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement mission and on global carbon measurements through the agreement with regard to the Orbital Carbon Observatory-2 Satellite and the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite-1 and 2 missions.
• Cooperate on a Global Change Observation Mission follow-on mission to avoid a gap in availability of data required for global weather forecasting.
• Strengthen the resilience and interoperability of critical space systems, focusing on: space-based positioning, navigation, and timing; enhanced space situational awareness; use of space for maritime domain awareness; research and development in space technologies; and use of hosted payloads.
• Support international efforts to develop transparency and confidence-building measures to encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of, space, such as an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities.

c.       Cyber and the Internet Economy

• Strengthen and expand our robust cooperation on cyber issues and the Internet Economy. 
• Reaffirm commitment to an open, interoperable, secure and reliable cyberspace, to the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance for ensuring the free flow of information, and to Internet Freedom principles as outlined by the Freedom Online Coalition.
• Hold the next whole-of government U.S.-Japan Cyber Dialogue and the next U.S.-Japan Policy Cooperation Dialogue on the Internet Economy this year; and coordinate closely ahead of relevant international fora such as the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations General Assembly.
• Increase sharing of information about cyber incidents and threats, including the state-sponsored cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, or other confidential business information intended to provide competitive advantages to a state’s companies or commercial sector.
• Re-affirm our commitment to the recommendations of the 2013 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Information Security.
• Affirm that states should uphold additional, voluntary norms of state behavior in cyberspace during peacetime, recognizing that these norms should be consistent with existing international law.  In particular, the United States and Japan share the view that states should not conduct or knowingly support online activity that intentionally damages critical infrastructure or otherwise impairs the use of critical infrastructure to provide services to the public.  The United States and Japan commit to continued discussions to identify specific peacetime cyber norms, noting that wide affirmation among states would contribute to international stability in cyberspace.
• Strengthen whole-of-government cooperation on critical infrastructure cybersecurity, with an emphasis on preparations for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, and mission assurance.
• Seek to enhance global resilience of critical infrastructure through the promotion of principles like those in the National Institute of Standards and Technology Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.
• Share information on threats and vulnerabilities in cyberspace and best practices in organizing, training, and equipping defense forces for the cyber mission.

d.     Energy

• Strengthen civil nuclear cooperation through the U.S.-Japan Bilateral Commission including in such areas as civil nuclear energy research and development, nuclear security, decommissioning and environmental management, emergency management, and safety and regulatory issues, with a common view that nuclear energy is an important base-load power source that will contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  Continue expert workshops, technical exchanges and involvement by U.S. companies and Department of Energy national laboratories that have contributed to the cleanup of the Fukushima Daiichi plant site and the surrounding area.
• Enhance dialogue on energy, through bilateral discussions on strategic implications and on technical coordination, including through the U.S.-Japan Energy Strategic Dialogue and U.S.-Japan Energy Policy Dialogue.
• Welcome the prospect of U.S. liquefied natural gas exports in the future since additional global supplies will benefit Japan and other strategic partners.
•  Following on the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), and for the success of the next NSS to be held in 2016, continue joint efforts on various initiatives.  In particular, work together to remove all highly enriched uranium and plutonium fuel from the Fast Critical Assembly in Japan in 2016.
• Welcome the entry into force on April 15 of the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, and work together to encourage other states to join.
• Strengthen bilateral and multilateral collaboration in the field of clean energy technologies to create a low-carbon society by concluding an Implementing Arrangement concerning cooperation in Research and Development in Energy and Related fields, a Memorandum of Cooperation concerning collaboration in the field of Carbon Capture and Storage, and an extension of the Hawaii-Okinawa Partnership on Clean and Efficient Energy Development and Deployment, as well as by working together at the Clean Energy Ministerial and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation.
• Continue U.S.-Japan scientific collaboration on methane hydrate research.

Cooperating to Promote Regional and Global Stability

Recognizing that a secure and stable environment makes possible all of the important work we do together, the United States and Japan seek to:

a.      U.N. Peacekeeping

• Enhance our cooperation on peacekeeping capacity building through such activities as the United States’ African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership and the Japan-UN Project for Rapid Deployment of Engineering Capabilities in Africa.　

b.      Maritime Security

• Foster respect for international law, including the freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as peaceful settlement of maritime disputes.
• Coordinate capacity building assistance for maritime safety and security in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Strengthen regional cooperation to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships through Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

c. Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (CVE)

• Take a comprehensive approach against terrorist activities and violent extremism.
• Support the U.S. initiative to host the CVE Summit and to launch the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund.
• Support Japan’s efforts to: strengthen counter-terrorism measures through capacity building assistance for border control in the Middle East/Africa region; enhance diplomacy towards stability and prosperity in the Middle East; and assist in creating societies resilient to radicalization by reducing income disparity and promoting youth employment and education.

Working Together to Promote Sustainable Development around the World

The United States and Japan are dedicated to advancing sustainable development, prosperity, and equality globally by taking joint action to:

a.      Development Cooperation

• Strengthen mutual collaboration and coordination with our development partners to ensure a successful Third International Conference on Financing for Development.
• Seek international agreement on an ambitious post-2015 Development Agenda that builds on the momentum of the Millennium Development Goals and serves as a powerful instrument to eradicate extreme poverty and foster sustainable global development. 
• Promote collaboration on global development, including in Africa, to improve food security, support health and education, increase access to electricity, and further the aims and outcomes of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.
• Continue working together to support Myanmar’s reform efforts through a new “Initiative to Promote Fundamental Labour Rights and Practices in Myanmar”, launched in November 2014 to improve environments related to labor rights, along with Myanmar, Denmark and the International Labor Organization.
• Highlight the importance of allocating more of total assistance where needs are greatest and capacity to raise public resources domestically weakest, including least developed countries, low income countries, small island developing states, land-locked developing countries, and fragile and conflict-affected states.
• Further advance cooperation in the area of disaster risk reduction including collaboration for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s capacity building in this area, building on the successful outcomes of the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in December 2014 between the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Cabinet Office of Japan.

b.      Environment and Climate Change

• Work together and with others to achieve a successful climate change agreement at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris.
• Mindful of the 2 ℃ goal, note U.S. announcement of its post-2020 target on March 31 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent in 2025, and affirm that Japan intends to submit an ambitious target, as early as possible and well in advance of the COP21.  Both sides acknowledge the need to accelerate the transition to low-carbon economies.  
• Work together in assisting countries vulnerable to climate change by appropriate means such as the Green Climate Fund.
• Support the adoption of a Montreal Protocol amendment to phase down hydrofluorocarbons.
• Issue a statement this year regarding cooperation on conservation and sustainable use of marine fisheries resources, and thus global food security, including through joint efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
• Work together to secure robust marine fisheries provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership  agreement.
• Work to contribute to the objective of the Minamata Convention on Mercury by exploring opportunities for cooperation in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility. 
• Work to alleviate air pollution in the Asia-Pacific region envisioning possible collaboration with local governments to improve and certify their air quality levels.
• Cooperate in assisting partner countries to create and implement environmental education programs.
• Take full advantage of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator’s intended visit to Tokyo later this year to meet with Japan’s Minister of the Environment to advance this environmental cooperation.

c. Empowerment of Women and Girls

• Cooperate to empower women in Southeast Asia and Africa through such activities as business development programs in Ethiopia and business-to-business networking events through the United States’ African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program and Japan’s Business Women’s Entrepreneurship Program. 
• Welcome collaboration between the “World Assembly for Women in Tokyo (WAW!)” and the Equal Futures Partnership.
• Support training and empowerment of women and girls in Afghanistan including through cooperation between the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency on the PROMOTE Program.
• Support girls’ education globally, including through: Japan’s community-based “School for All” concept; the United States’ “Let Girls Learn” initiative; renewed cooperation between the Peace Corps and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers; increased focus and resources in respective bilateral assistance programs, including in Southeast Asia; and support for NGO work.

d. Global Health

• Cooperate on global health by combatting infectious diseases, including through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and by promoting maternal and child health.
• Continue partnering to fully end the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, rebuild sustainable health systems in the affected countries, and work together to capture lessons learned from the Ebola crisis to strengthen health systems in the Asia-Pacific Region.
• To advance the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), the United States is to partner with 30 countries, and Japan is to positively consider partnering with 3-5 countries to achieve the GHSA targets and action packages it has committed, and to spur progress toward full implementation of the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations so that partner countries can prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats.  The United States and Japan are to work together and with partner nations to determine this set of countries and to synchronize global health security capacity building toward these common targets.

The partnership between the United States and Japan brings peace and prosperity, health and environmental protection, and advanced technology to the people of our two countries and to the world.  These efforts will continue to deepen and expand in line with the ever closer ties between the United States and Japan.

Upcoming Guidance for the First Lady

Friday, May 1, 2015

Detroit, MI * 12:15 PM ET – As part of her Reach Higher initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama will speak at Detroit’s first-ever citywide College Signing Day, hosted by the Detroit College Access Network at Wayne State University. Over 1,500 students from more than 40 Detroit high schools will participate in the rally.

In her keynote remarks, the First Lady will highlight the importance of students pursuing and completing a form of higher education, and students doing their part to answer the President’s call for America to once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. This will be the second year the First Lady has celebrated College Signing Day; last year she attended a similar event in San Antonio, TX. This year, the First Lady will be joined by Ciara, Grammy award winning recording artist and long-time advocate for education through her work with Get Schooled.

In addition to the First Lady’s event in Detroit, over 400 College Signing Day events have been planned by communities, students, and organizations committed to helping students pursue higher education. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will attend a College Signing Day event in Washington, D.C. and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro will attend a College Signing Day event in Austin, TX.

To celebrate College Signing Day, the First Lady is encouraging people across the country to wear their college apparel and share their photos with #ReachHigher on social media. Follow along with the day’s celebrations and the more than 400 Signing Day events across the country:

Hashtag: #ReachHigher
Twitter: @FLOTUS, @ReachHigher, @ArneDuncan, @SecretaryCastro
Instagram: @MichelleObama and @ReachHigher2020

This event is open press, but space is limited. Media must RSVP with the name, position (Reporter, TV Camera, Photographer, etc.) media outlet, phone and email for each person planning to cover the event to Sbailey@excellentschoolsdetroit.org or by phone at (313) 207-2267 by Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at 6:00 PM EST. Media receiving credentials to cover the remarks will receive a confirmation email of their RSVP.