(Photo: State Dept.) The Governments of the United States and Japan co-hosted the fifth Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF) in a hybrid format on January 12, 2023, in Tokyo, Japan. The IPBF advances the United States’ vision for a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region. As the premier U.S. government-sponsored commercial diplomacy event for the region, the IPBF facilitates business, government, and civil society participants in building connections and partnerships, exchanging best practices, and stimulating innovative thinking on the challenges and opportunities facing the region. It showcases high-impact government and private sector activities to support job growth and high-standard economic development for greater prosperity and inclusion in the Indo-Pacific region. The importance of economic and commercial cooperation and partnership in the Indo-Pacific is paramount. The caliber of the United States leadership in the 2023 IPBF is a reflection of the importance the United States places on this event. Four U.S. Cabinet officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai gave recorded remarks at the Forum. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink in welcoming […]