The United States and Japan have a complicated history. U.S. and Japanese citizens have looked very favorably on one another through an appreciation of culture, diplomatic ties and economic dependability. Yet, in the same breath, we can discuss an extreme disconnect that has tainted each country’s outlook on the other’s sphere of influence. At the heart of U.S. and Japanese history lies a mixture of the greatest of allies and the bitterest of enemies. While our spheres of influence used to be affected by geography, today our spheres merge rather than diverge.

So what is the U.S.’s relationship with Japan circa 2016? While I cannot speak for all of Japan or all of the U.S., our relationship can be uncovered by examining recent world news.

The U.S. and Japan have recently confronted a controversial past. One particular paper in Japan, The Japan Times, which is the oldest running English language paper, followed the visit of Secretary of State John Kerry to Hiroshima a few weeks ago. Kerry became the first sitting high profile leader to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum. While Kerry did not apologize for President Harry S. Truman’s administration’s decision to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, he did pay tribute to the lives lost there. Looking ahead to a lasting and peaceful partnership, Kerry suggested that Hiroshima can remind world leaders to work diligently towards peace rather than war.

Another article in The Japan Times noted that, while some survivors and members of the anti-nuclear groups in Hiroshima wished Kerry had stayed longer, they thought his visit spoke to the U.S.' consciousness of bridging a firm and respectful partnership with Japan. The newspaper also quoted museum director, Kenji Shiga, who believed Kerry exemplified the “most impressive eagerness” as he toured the museum and listened to Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida’s explanations of the exhibits.

Kerry’s visit served as a conscientious effort to maintain a continued U.S. diplomatic presence in the eyes of Japan’s leaders and citizens. Just a month ago, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Washington D.C. and sat next to President Obama at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit. At the end of May, President Obama will visit Hiroshima after meeting with other world leaders at the G7 Summit, held this year in Ise-Shima, Japan.

The G7 Summit, or Group of Seven Summit, consists of the U.S., Japan, Canada, France, England, Germany and Italy. At the summit, Japan and the U.S., amongst other world leaders, will take on contentious issues beyond nuclear power. Increased diaspora in Syria, ISIS threats and the growth of the military in North Korea, Russia and China will also be on the agenda. Additionally, the meeting can also serve as time to analyze the world economy and tap into global industries that provide opportunities for leaders to connect on reliability and sustainability initiatives.

Japan and the U.S.' ties also lie in our alliance to keep other nations, who appear less rational, under control. While North Korea is positioned as a continued threat in world headlines, China has also elevated international concerns. The Japan Times cited that Japanese leaders have taken China’s unilateral moves very seriously. The East and South China Seas, bodies of water touching the coastline of Japan, have especially become spots of Chinese escalation of military might through land-reclamation projects and deployment of radar and surface-to-air missiles.

Lastly, our economies are intertwined, as is seen by a recent scandal by leading Japanese automotive manufacturer, Mitsubishi Motors. Although shares are down and the uncertainty of how dire the cheating may be on Mitsubishi’s existence are affecting U.S. markets, the emission corruption has also elevated U.S. attention to our own car manufacturers. Following Volkswagen’s announcement of false play late last year, the Mitsubishi case is the most recent example of manufacturing companies ignoring the push by world leaders for a more honest and cleaner industrial environment. Thus there has been a recent request to Mitsubishi by the EPA for a clear and detailed report of their U.S. footprint. The EPA has also turned towards its own U.S. based auto makers by making a tighter regulation of emission standards a priority.

For more information about John Kerry’s recent visit to Hiroshima please refer here, http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/12/national/politics-diplomacy/hiroshima-hails-kerrys-bomb-park-visit-though-call-brief/#.VyZUcPkrLIV .

For more information about the 2016 G7 Summit please refer here, http://www.japan.go.jp/g7/summit/.