By Tomoyuki Tachikawa,
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed Wednesday to bolster their security alliance with China's growing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region in mind, while vowing to become "global partners" as their ties evolve.
At their 85-minute summit held during Kishida's state visit to the United States, the first by a Japanese premier in nine years, the two leaders also confirmed they will join hands in advancing relations between their forces and strengthening supply chains for crucial products such as semiconductors to tackle China's regional clout.
After Japan and the United States mapped out around 70 agreements, including on defense and economic matters, Biden said at a joint press conference with Kishida, "We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies again, because our alliances are America's greatest asset."
"We're modernizing command-and-control structures and we're increasing the interoperability and planning of our militaries so we can work together in a seamless and effective way. This is the most significant upgrade in our alliance since it was first established," Biden added.
Kishida said he reaffirmed with Biden the importance of the bilateral alliance and need for a new global partnership as geopolitical tensions rise across the world amid China's military buildup and North Korea's nuclear and missile development.
The prime minister said he discussed China and North Korea with Biden, saying they agreed on the critical importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and that Washington "backs" Tokyo's efforts to resolve the long-standing issue of Pyongyang's past abductions of Japanese nationals.
Tokyo has been at odds with Beijing over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. The uninhabited islets are administered by Japan, but China has laid claim to them since the early 1970s, calling them Diaoyu.
Biden said the Senkakus are covered by Article 5 of the 1960 Japan-U.S. security treaty, as Tokyo relies on Washington for military protection. The provision calls for the United States to defend territories under Japanese administration from armed attack.
As for North Korea, Kishida said a path to dialogue with the nation is "open," reiterating his eagerness to hold a summit with leader Kim Jong Un to build "fruitful" bilateral relations. Biden welcomed the premier's desire to engage with North Korea.
Tokyo and Washington have no diplomatic ties with Pyongyang. Recently, North Korea has rejected any contact or negotiations with Japan, saying the abduction issue has already been resolved.
In the space field, Kishida and Biden agreed on shared goals regarding the U.S.-led lunar exploration Artemis program, which could see a Japanese astronaut become the first non-American to travel to the Moon.
At an arrival ceremony for the Japanese premier, Kishida said Japan and the United States will "take the lead" in grappling with global challenges, while looking "10 years and also 100 years ahead" in developing relations.
Biden told Kishida in front of the media at the outset of their summit that the U.S.-Japan alliance has become stronger than ever.
"We are therefore working together, across all domains and at all levels, to build a global partnership that is fit for purpose to address the complex, interconnected challenges of today and tomorrow for the benefit of our two countries and the world," the leaders said in a joint statement.
Kishida said Japan and the United States are "now at the forefront" in maintaining a free and open international order, adding that the two nations are "indispensable" to each other in driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
On the security front, Kishida and Biden confirmed deeper cooperation between the U.S. military and Japan's Self-Defense Forces as threats posed by China and North Korea escalate.
Japan is set to establish a joint headquarters to command its ground, maritime and air forces by the end of March 2025. The United States is arranging to strengthen the functions of its command headquarters in Japan in line with the move, government officials said.
Kishida and Biden also agreed to pave the way for further joint development of key defense equipment so the decades-old alliance between the United States and Japan can enter a new stage to underpin stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The leaders, meanwhile, pledged to create a framework so that Japanese private companies can undertake extensive repairs of U.S. Navy warships, enabling the vessels to operate for longer without returning home for maintenance.
Japan and the United States are likely to flesh out details of the summit agreements at two-plus-two talks involving their defense and foreign ministers in the near future, the officials said.
Kishida and Biden also made a commitment to reinforce supply chains, with some democracies adversely affected by what the United States calls "economic coercion" by authoritarian countries.
On Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022, Kishida said he told Biden that Japan will continue imposing severe sanctions on Moscow and supporting Kyiv. His assurance came as a bill for fresh U.S. aid for Ukraine is stalled in the House of Representatives due to opposition from some Republicans.
Ahead of the summit, a welcome ceremony took place at the White House. After their meeting, Kishida and Biden held a joint press conference and released statements before the president hosts an official dinner party.
Kishida and his wife Yuko on Tuesday night attended an informal dinner with Biden at a restaurant in Washington. Biden posted a picture of himself and the prime minister sharing a ride in the presidential limousine, known as "The Beast."
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