President Joe Biden and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the most significant strengthening of bilateral defense relations in history, reported AFP.
Biden rolled out the red carpet for Kishida with a lavish dinner, plus music by legendary American singer Paul Simon, as he sought to emphasize Japan's importance as a crucial ally in the Asia-Pacific region against Beijing. "This is the most significant improvement in our union since it was created," Biden said at a press conference with Kishida in the White House Rose Garden. The 81-year-old US president said their relationship was "unbreakable" and their agreements on Wednesday set "a new benchmark for our military cooperation". The two leaders unveiled plans to restructure the US military command in Japan, the biggest such change since the 1960s. Separately, the US, Japan and Australia will launch a joint air defense network. The move is intended to make American and Japanese forces more mobile in the event of a crisis such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
"Purely Defensive"
The improvement comes amid tensions over Beijing's claims to Taiwan and vast swathes of the South China Sea, despite Washington's efforts to reduce the risk of conflict. Biden insisted that the military build-up in China's backyard is "purely defensive" and "is not directed against any country and is not a threat to the region." Meanwhile, Kishida called during the press conference for "peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait. But Biden has made no secret of his desire to forge alliances in the region to counter China. On Thursday, he will host the first trilateral summit between Japan, the Philippines and the US to deepen their alliance.
Still, Kishida's pomp-filled state visit was meant to highlight the broader cultural and economic ties between two allied nations that were at war 80 years ago. Biden announced that a Japanese person would be the first non-American to walk on the moon as part of an American flight in several years. The leaders also announced deals in technology, including artificial intelligence and the economy.
Democracy over autocracy
The hosts have prepared an extravagant visit for the 66-year-old Kishida and his wife Yuko. The formal dinner will be held in the Great East Room of the White House, decorated with fans and cherry blossoms. The White House chefs will serve a dish of Japanese flavors, starting with house-cured salmon, followed by dry-aged prime rib with wasabi sauce and salted caramel cake with pistachio cherry ice cream. After dinner, Paul Simon "will perform a selection of his iconic songs," White House social secretary Carlos Elizondo told reporters. First lady Jill Biden said during preparations for the dinner that the "thriving" friendship between the US and Japan would be celebrated. "Our countries are partners in a world where we choose creation over destruction, peace over bloodshed and democracy over autocracy," she said.
Kishida is the first Japanese leader to receive a state visit to the US since Shinzo Abe in 2015, and only the fifth world leader to be hosted by Biden when he takes office in 2021.
A staunch pacifist for decades, Japan in recent years has made "some of the most significant, important changes" since World War II, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said before the visit. /BGNES
