The government on Wednesday reacted calmly to the sudden dismissal of U.S. Secretary of the State Rex Tillerson, saying that the long-standing alliance between the two countries will remain strong.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said he believes the firing of Tillerson, who will be replaced by CIA chief Mike Pompeo, will not have a major "negative impact" on the alliance, noting that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Donald Trump remain in close contact.
The top government spokesman made the remarks during a news conference after Trump dismissed Tillerson on Tuesday due to divisions over policy, including on Iran and North Korea.