US-Japan Strengthen Economic and Defense Ties with Focus on Supply Chains and Human Rights

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai has expressed hopes of deepening trade ties with Japan and promoting economic security with Asian allies and partners. Tai’s visit to Tokyo follows her trip to Manila, which highlighted the emerging partnership among the three countries in building both economic and defense ties.

In a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Tai discussed the need to make supply chains more resilient and secure. She also reviewed the status of negotiations on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a new trade pact proposed by Washington that emphasizes the importance of cooperation with Japan. The US and Japan have set up a task force aimed at eliminating human rights violations in international supply chains and banning the use of materials from suppliers that subject their workers to inhumane conditions. To highlight such efforts, Tai toured an outlet of outdoor equipment and clothing retailer Patagonia in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. As the US steps up diplomacy across the region, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken visiting Vietnam over the weekend, Tai’s visit to Japan underscores the importance of strengthening trade and economic ties.

The efforts to deepen trade ties and promote economic security in the region will have a significant impact on women, who often bear the brunt of supply chain disruptions and the consequences of economic insecurity. As such, it is essential to ensure that efforts to strengthen economic cooperation are gender-inclusive and promote the empowerment of women in the region.

Re-reported from the story originally published in Dailyhunt