[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   COMMENDING THE HONORABLE IWAO MATSUDA FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE AND 
 LEADERSHIP IN UNITED STATES-JAPAN BILATERIAL AND UNITED STATES-JAPAN-
                    SOUTH KOREA TRILATERAL RELATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 4, 2010

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the 
Honorable Iwao Matsuda, a Member of the Diet of Japan and visionary 
leader of the United States-Japan Bilateral Legislative Exchange 
Program, LEP, and of the United States-Japan-South Korea Trilateral 
Legislative Exchange Program, TLEP. Matsuda-san will soon be retiring 
after decades of exemplary public service to his own country and to a 
more peaceful and prosperous Northeast Asia.
  The United States-Japan relationship is as important as ever, and 
Matsuda's contributions to that relationship and to the LEP have been 
vital and unswerving. His leadership and the sorts of exchanges 
exemplified by the LEP and TLEP form the foundation for our strong 
ties.
  This is an especially important year in United States-Japan relations 
as it marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Mutual 
Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States. The 
treaty forms the bedrock of our bilateral relationship, which in turn 
plays an indispensable role in ensuring security and prosperity for the 
United States and Japan, as well as for the broader Asia-Pacific.
  Both of our countries are guided by a shared respect for democracy 
and freedom, by the enduring ties we have forged over the last 65 years 
and by the personal relationships formed through the tireless work of 
leaders such as Matsuda-san.
  Matsuda-san's distinguished career began at Japan's Ministry of 
International Trade and Industry, MITI, where he served for more than 
20 years. This period included a posting in the United States where he 
did critical work on the expanding bilateral trade relationship.
  After leaving the civil service, he ran successfully for public 
office, serving for 10 years in the Lower House of the Diet. During his 
tenure, when United States-Japan trade frictions were becoming ever 
more heated, Matsuda-san had the foresight to develop the United 
States-Japan Legislative Exchange Program, LEP, which brought Members 
of the Diet and U.S. Congress together semiannually to address key 
issues in United States-Japan relations.
  As a long-time participant in the LEP, I can personally attest to its 
valuable contribution toward improving ties and finding common ground. 
And today it is as valuable as ever given the new problems confronting 
the United States-Japan bilateral relationship, including basing issues 
and other matters. Matsuda-san's exemplary leadership through the LEP 
has demonstrated that even the most vexing issues can be resolved when 
viewed in the context of our shared interests, values and goals.
  In 1998, Matsuda-san was elected to serve in the Upper House of the 
Diet and held increasingly important government posts, including Senior 
Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Chairman 
of the House of Councilors' Research Committee on International Affairs 
and, ultimately, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, 
Food Safety and Information Technology in the cabinet of Junichiro 
Koizumi. During this period, he created the United States-Japan-South 
Korea Trilateral Legislative Exchange Program, TLEP, a complement to 
the LEP and an organization that has demonstrably improved ties among 
the three nations.
  This year marks the LEP's 22d year and 43d consecutive session and 
the TLEP's 7th year and 12th consecutive session. All of us in this 
body are grateful for Matsuda-san's leadership and vision. Even with 
his retirement, Matsuda-san's legacy will endure. The LEP and TLEP will 
continue and the bilateral and trilateral relationships will advance so 
long as we hold to the principles of open discussion, friendship and 
trust that Matsuda-san has exemplified.
  We will miss Iwao Matsuda. But I know he will continue to play a 
critical role in advancing relations among the United States, Japan and 
South Korea and that we will always be able to count on his friendship 
and support.

                          ____________________