Wendy Cutler is vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former acting deputy U.S. Trade Representative. Kurt Tong is a partner at The Asia Group and a former APEC ambassador and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
Two nations' combined focus needs to be sharper and stronger

APEC Summit leaders, pictured in Yokohama in November 2010: it is time for the U.S. and Japan to reprise that performance. © Reuters
Wendy Cutler is vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former acting deputy U.S. Trade Representative. Kurt Tong is a partner at The Asia Group and a former APEC ambassador and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.