Hirono To Attend State Dinner, Serve On Escort Committee For Japanese Prime Minister Abe

Washington, D.C. – This week during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s official visit to the United States and Japan’s Golden Week, Senator Mazie K. Hirono will participate in several key events to highlight the important alliance spanning seven decades between the United States and Japan.

Tonight, Senator Hirono will attend the State Dinner for Prime Minister Abe at the White House hosted by President Obama and the First Lady. Tomorrow morning, Senator Hirono will serve on the escort committee for Prime Minister Abe’s address to a joint meeting of Congress. Escort Committee members have the privilege of leading the Prime Minister into the House chamber.

“Japan is one of our closest allies and at a time when we have so much instability elsewhere in the world, it is important to maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific,” said Senator Hirono. “In our ongoing focus on the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, we must continue to strengthen our relationship with Japan.

“I was born in Japan and lived there until I was nearly eight years old. It is an honor to attend tonight’s State Dinner and serve on the escort committee for Prime Minister Abe’s address.  Our countries have much to offer one another and we must focus on continuing our enduring relationship and strengthening that relationship to meet our shared challenges.”

Senator Hirono, the first Asian-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, was born in Fukushima, Japan in 1947. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Study Group on Japan.

Follow @maziehirono on Twitter for photos from tonight’s state dinner and continued updates throughout the week.