The United States and Japan celebrated their decades-long alliance on Wednesday, as President Joe Biden hosted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House for an official visit and state dinner. “For the first time, Japan, the United States and Australia will create a networked air missile system and defense architecture,” Biden announced.
The emphasis of the meeting was on military deterrence to improve maritime cooperation in the South China Sea, as well as air defense.
Leaders announced new initiatives in technology and defenseincluding an enhancement of allied command and control arrangements for U.S. and Japanese forces, new investments and partnerships in space, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors and clean energy.
The leaders signed an agreement for Japan to provide a rover to support astronauts working on the Moon. The United States will allocate two astronaut flight opportunities to the lunar surface for Japan on NASA's future Artemis missions.
One of those Japanese astronauts, Biden said, “will become the first non-American to land on the moon.”
A “visionary leader”
Biden called Kishida a “visionary and courageous leader” for the measures he has taken to support Ukraine in its fight against the russian invasion. He further praised Kishida's push to bolster Japan's defense capabilities.
“Regarding Russia's aggression against Ukraine (…) Today it may be Ukraine and tomorrow it may be East Asia,” Kishida said.
The Japanese leader explained that they also spoke about the tense relations between Taiwan and China, and committed to maintaining an international order based on the rule of law, according to Reuters.
“Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion are absolutely unacceptable, wherever they occur,” Kishida said, asserting that the United States and Japan will continue to respond to such actions, including challenges from China.
Tokyo has increased defense spending and stepped up joint military exercises with the United States and other regional allies, making it a key player in what the Biden administration calls its “lattice-shaped strategic architecture” to bolster deterrence against adversaries.
Kishida, speaking through an interpreter, reaffirmed that his government was ready to become a “global partner” to address challenges in the region and around the world.
A thorny issue
However, Biden and Kishida must navigate a key issue: Nippon Steel plans to acquire Pittsburgh-based US Steel. Biden has expressed his opposition to the agreement, a thorny issue ahead of the US presidential elections in November.
In their joint press conference, both leaders sought to downplay the issue.
Biden reaffirmed his “commitment” to American workers as well as to the alliance. Kishida announced new Japanese investments in the United States, including $8 billion in Toyota to increase battery production in North Carolina.
New US private investments were also announced in Japan, including $2.9 billion from Microsoft in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, and $15 billion from Amazon Web Services to expand cloud infrastructure.
Kishida will participate in a trilateral summit on Thursday with Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and will address a joint meeting of Congress. He will be the second Japanese prime minister to address the US legislature, following Shinzo Abe's appearance in 2015.
[La periodista de VOA, Patsy Widakuswara, contribuyó a este reporte. Contiene información de Reuters]
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