May 30 - On May 28, the U.S. Navy held a farewell ceremony at Yokosuka Naval Base for the USS Kitty Hawk, the United States' only forward-deployed aircraft carrier. The Kitty Hawk, which arrived in Yokosuka for duty on August 11, 1998, will stop in Hawaii before heading to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, for decommissioning in 2009. In his remarks at the ceremony, Ambassador Schieffer thanked the City of Yokosuka for hosting the Kitty Hawk, and cited the Kitty Hawk's long and distinguished history of service, stating "her contributions to the peace and security of Asia will ensure that she is never forgotten." [Full remarks]

May 28 - On May 27, President Bush stated that he is deeply troubled by the Burmese regime's extension of National League for Democracy General Secretary and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest, and called upon the regime to release all political prisoners. He emphasized, "The United States will continue to help the people of Burma recover from the devastation of Cyclone Nargis and will continue to support the Burmese people's long term struggle for freedom." [Full statement]

May 23 - J. Thomas Schieffer, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, is participating this week in the State Department's online interactive forum, "Ask the Ambassador." A selection of questions on U.S.-Japan bilateral relations submitted online will be answered by Ambassador Schieffer and posted to the State Department website on May 30 in Washington, DC (May 31 in Tokyo). [Transcript]

May 22 - President Bush, Cabinet members, diplomats, members of Congress, family members of Cuban dissidents, and others came together at the White House on May 21 to express solidarity with the Cuban people. President Bush stated, "This is the first Day of Solidarity with the Cuban People - and the United States must keep observing such days until Cuba's freedom. We'll continue to support the Cubans who work to make their nation democratic and prosperous and just." [Full remarks] [May 20 Embassy Statement]

May 22 - Today Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer issued a statement referencing the unique conditions in the global rice market this year, and noting, "The United States places a great deal of importance on responding to the current food price crisis." [Full text of Ambassador's Statement]

May 21 - Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer addressed The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan May 20 on "The Price of Security in a Changing World." After the speech, he responded to a variety of questions from the audience. [Transcript]

May 21 - Embassy Tokyo's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) will hold a meeting in the Embassy this Friday, May 23 at 9:00. This meeting is open to security officers and representatives for American businesses and entities located in Japan. Further information can be obtained from the Regional Security Office at 3224-5595.

May 20 - On May 21, the United States will celebrate the courage and determination of the Cuban people as they seek their freedom and voice in establishing a democratic future for their country. [Embassy Statement on Day of Solidarity with the Cuban People]

May 19 - The State Department issued a Travel Alert on May 16 urging U.S. citizens to defer travel to China's Sichuan province due to rescue and relief operations, damage to infrastructure throughout the area, and the continuing potential for aftershocks from the May 12 earthquake.

May 19 - The United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have reached an understanding on the parameters of a program for the resumption of U.S. food assistance for the North Korean people, USAID announced on May 16. [Press release]

May 15 - Deputy Secretary of Labor Howard Radzely, head of the U.S. delegation to the May 11-13 G-8 Labor Ministerial in Niigata, briefed press May 13, stressing the U.S. government's dedication to working not only with fellow G-8 members but also with China, India, and other nations to implement the best mix of policies for sustaining economic growth while protecting the environment. In a separate interview, he emphasized U.S. job-retraining policies to help American workers adjust to dynamic domestic and international economic conditions, including the growing need for environmentally-sound industries and services.

May 15 - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on May 14 that the American people, through USAID, have provided $500,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross for the procurement and delivery of emergency relief commodities to the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck China. [Full text]

May 14 - Sung Kim, Director of the Office of Korean Affairs in the Department of State, briefed media in Washington, DC on May 13 on the latest developments in the Six-Party Talks for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, having recently brought back from North Korea volumes of operating and production records for the 5-megawatt reactor and the reprocessing plant in Yongbyon. He noted, "North Korea has acknowledged the requirement for verification and indeed agreed to cooperate fully with verification activities."
[Transcript] [May 10 Fact Sheet, "Update on the Six-Party Talks"]

May 14 - The crew members of STS-123 NASA space shuttle Endeavor discussed their March 11-26 mission to the International Space Station and other aspects of astronaut life with a group of Tokyo-area Japanese junior high and high school students on May 13 at the Embassy. The mission delivered the first part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's "Kibo" module. Students from Naha and Fukuoka also participated in the program by digital video conference.   [More]

May 13 - President Bush on May 12 extended his condolences to those injured and to the families of the victims of the earthquake in China's Sichuan Province, stating, "The United States stands ready to help in any way possible." [Full text]

May 13 - On May 12, USAID Administrator Henrietta H. Fore and Admiral Timothy J. Keating, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, accompanied the first airlift of USAID commodities from Thailand to Burma. Two additional flights are planned for May 13. Administrator Fore announced $13 million in additional aid to Burma on May 12, bringing the total value of assistance from the U.S. government to more than $16.3 million. [USAID webpage on the response to Cyclone Nargis]

May 12 - Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte met on May 9 with Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura. On May 10, the Deputy Secretary enjoyed a visit to the Perry and Harris exhibit at the Edo-Tokyo Museum, and a visit to the sumo association. [More photos]

Negroponte's remarks:

• After meeting Machimura • After meeting Koumura • Prior to departure at Narita airport

• At the start of the meeting with Ishiba • After meeting Ishiba

May 9 - Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte is traveling to the region May 7 to 12 for discussions with his counterparts in Seoul, Tokyo, and Beijing on a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. He remarked upon arrival in Tokyo May 8, "I'm very happy to be back in a country that is such an important friend of the United States." [Full text]

May 8 - On May 6, USAID announced that it will provide an additional $3 million in assistance to the Burmese people in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, in part through the American Red Cross. [More] USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team, currently pre-positioned in Bangkok, is awaiting permission to enter Burma. It is important that USAID disaster experts - along with experts from international and non-governmental organizations - be allowed access to affected areas to provide quick and efficient emergency relief assistance.

May 7 - The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are providing emergency relief to those in Burma affected by Tropical Cyclone Nargis. The State Department issued a Travel Warning on May 5 to inform American citizens of the destruction caused by the cyclone, and to recommend that citizens in affected areas strongly consider departing Burma and that citizens outside of Burma defer non-essential travel to Burma. On May 6, President Bush signed a bill passed by Congressional leaders to honor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with the Congressional Gold Medal.

May 2 - On May 1 at the White House, President Bush celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and World Press Freedom Day, and then discussed food aid. He also made a statement on Burma and issued an executive order blocking property and prohibiting certain transactions related to Burma.

May 2 - U.S. law requires the Secretary of State to provide Congress, by April 30 of each year, a full and complete report on terrorism with regard to those countries and groups meeting criteria set forth in the legislation. The 2007 annual report, entitled "Country Reports on Terrorism," is now available to the public on the State Department website. [Briefing] [Full report]

May 1 - Chiba Lotte Marines Manager Bobby Valentine and the three filmmakers of the Tribeca/ESPN Film Festival documentary "The Zen of Bobby V" briefed journalists in New York and Tokyo May 1 through a digital video conference (DVC) set up by the Embassy and the State Department's New York Foreign Press Center. The film, which premiered at the April 23-May 4 festival, details a season in the life of the former Mets manager in Japanese baseball. Ambassador Schieffer, left, greeted Mr. Valentine at the Embassy.

May 1 - On April 21, the U.S. government submitted public comments to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry on proposed changes to the Japanese method for determination of asbestos in building materials. The United States supports the Japanese government in its effort to develop and implement an asbestos policy that takes full consideration of the potentially deadly nature of asbestos fibers. [Full text]