Whereas the United States-Japan alliance remains a cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity, and underscores the unwavering commitment of the United States to Japan and the Indo-Pacific region; Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic relations with the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Amity on March 31, 1854; Whereas January 19, 2024, marked the 64th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan; Whereas, in May 2016, then-President Barack Obama made a historic visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and in December 2016, then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a historic visit to Pearl Harbor, demonstrating the willingness of both nations to overcome the most sensitive aspects of our shared history to form the powerful alliance that exists today; Whereas, on January 11, 2023, during the United States-Japan Security Consultative Committee (2+2), both countries resolved to advance bilateral alliance modernization initiatives to build a more capable, integrated, and agile alliance that bolsters deterrence and addresses evolving regional and global security challenges; Whereas, under the premiership of Kishida Fumio, the Government of Japan has taken historic steps to modernize Japan’s national security strategy and defense policy through the release of the 2022 National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program, including commitments to increase defense spending to 2 percent of the gross domestic product within 5 years and to develop counterstrike capabilities; Whereas the United States and Japan have deepened their defense cooperation through various bilateral and multilateral exercises, and across domains that include space and cyber