; Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic relations on March 31, 1854, with the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Amity; Whereas the relationship between the peoples of the United States and the Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea’s Chosun Dynasty, when the United States and Korea established diplomatic relations under the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation; Whereas 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the end of World War II, a conflict in which the United States and Japan were enemies, and the strength of the United States-Japan alliance is a testament to the ability of great countries to overcome the past and to work together to create a more secure and prosperous future; Whereas the United States-Korea alliance was forged in blood, with United States military casualties during the Korean War of approximately 36,574 killed and more than 103,284 wounded, and with Republic of Korea casualties of more than 217,000 soldiers killed, more than 291,000 soldiers missing, and over 1,000,000 civilians killed or missing; Whereas, for the past 70 years, the partnership between the United States and Japan has played a vital role, both in Asia and globally, in ensuring peace, stability, and economic development; Whereas, approximately 50,000 United States military personnel serve in Japan, along with some of the United States most advanced defense assets, including the 7th Fleet and the USS Ronald Reagan, the only United States aircraft carrier to be homeported outside the United States; Whereas, since the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the Republic of Korea, signed in Washington on October 1, 1953, and ratified by the Senate on January 26, 1954, United States military personnel have maintained a continuous presence on the Korean Peninsula, and approximately 28,500 United States troops are stationed in the Republic of Korea in 2019