New U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy on Monday met with Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki in Tokyo, where the two agreed to strengthen the bilateral alliance, the Foreign Ministry said.
During the roughly 25-minute meeting at Saiki's office, Kennedy, 55, said it was an honor to come to Japan as U.S. ambassador, and that she hopes to visit a number of places to deepen her understanding of the country, according to the ministry.
The 61-year-old Saiki, Japan's top career diplomat, briefed her on the issues being dealt with by the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and said he hopes to strengthen the Japan-U.S. security alliance in various areas on the basis of trust between the two countries.