Readout of the President's Call with Prime Minister Abe of Japan

The President and Prime Minister Abe spoke by telephone yesterday evening to discuss their grave concern about the use of chemical weapons on August 21 in Syria. The two leaders agreed that the use of chemical weapons is a serious violation of international norms and cannot be tolerated. They pledged to continue to consult closely on possible responses by the international community.

The two leaders also reaffirmed the critical role of the U.S.-Japan alliance for the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. They stressed their shared commitment to taking steps to further enhance security cooperation on regional and global challenges, and to continue implementing our shared plan for U.S. force posture realignment in Japan.

The President underscored his view that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations should be concluded this fall, and both leaders agreed to consult closely on the way ahead.