WASHINGTON (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began a much-anticipated visit to Washington on Tuesday aimed at highlighting shared concerns about provocative Chinese military action in the Pacific and in a rare moment of public debate between the two countries over a Japanese company's plan to The differences had to be highlighted. Reputable American company.
Kishida and his wife will stop at the White House on Tuesday evening ahead of Wednesday's official visit and formal state dinner as President Joe Biden tries to celebrate the decades-old ally he sees as a cornerstone of his Indo-Pacific policy . Kishida will be the fifth world leader to be honored with a state dinner by Biden since he takes office in 2021.
Before visiting the White House, Kishida is set to visit Arlington Nation Cemetery and stop at the US Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.Biden and Kishida will hold talks on Wednesday and attend a joint press conference, before Biden welcomes the Japanese leader with a state dinner in the East Room. The prime minister is also invited to address a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday Is. Shinzo Abe gave a speech to Congress in 2015, making him the second Japanese leader to address it.
The visit follows Biden's announcement last month that he opposes the planned sale of Pittsburgh-based US Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel, highlighting a major rift in the partnership at the same moment the two leaders aim to strengthen it. Biden argued when announcing his opposition that the US needs to "retain strong American steel companies, run by American steel workers."
Biden's envoy to Tokyo, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, on Monday sought to minimize the impact of Biden's opposition to the US steel acquisition on the relationship.Emanuel said the Biden administration in February approved a plan that would boost billions of dollars in U.S.-based revenues. A subsidiary of the Japanese company Mitsui for crane production in the United States. Former Chicago Mayor Emanuel said in a joint appearance with Japan's chief envoy to Washington at the Center for Strategic N "The U.S. relationship is much deeper and stronger and more important than a commercial deal." , "As we will be in Chicago, you will have to rest."
Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy US Steel for $14.The billions in cash, raising concerns over what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and US national security. Japan's Ambassador to Washington, Shigeo Yamada, declined to comment on whether Kishida would join the Nippon-U.S. Will take it forward. Steel deal with Biden.
Biden has sought to focus greater foreign policy on the Pacific even as he grapples with the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. Last year, Biden brought Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol together at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, a historic summit between the leaders of two countries whose shared history is difficult.Biden has honored Yun with a state visit and has chosen Kishida's predecessor, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, as the first face-to-face foreign leader to visit of his presidency.
The Administration is pleased by Japan's strong support for Ukraine. Tokyo has been one of Kiev's biggest donors since Russia's February 2002 invasion, and Japan has increased its defense spending amid concerns about China's military assertiveness.
Yamada, in his joint appearance with Emanuel, suggested that Kishida highlight Japan's support for Ukraine during his appearance before Congress and explain why the conflict in Eastern Europe matters to his country. Biden is struggling to get House Republicans to support his call to send an additional $6 billion to Kiev as he tries to contain Russia.Kishida warned that a war in Europe could lead to conflict in East Asia, suggesting that a lax attitude toward Russia emboldens China.
Yamada said, "The prime minister believes that today's Ukraine can be tomorrow's East Asia."
Kishida will be in Washington on Thursday to attend meetings with Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philippine-Chinese relations have been repeatedly tested by skirmishes between the two countries' coast guard vessels in the disputed South China Sea. Chinese coast guard ships also regularly visit the disputed Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands near Taiwan.Beijing says Taiwan is part of its territory and will be brought under control by force if necessary.
"Cooperation between our three countries is extremely important to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and safeguarding a free and open international order based on the rule of law," Kishida said on Monday, before leaving for Washington.
The leaders are expected to discuss plans to upgrade the US military command structure in Japan. About 54,000 US troops are deployed in Japan. Kishida and Biden are also expected to confirm Japan's participation in NASA's Artemis moon program as well as the contribution of a moon rover developed by Toyota Motor Corp and the inclusion of a Japanese astronaut in the mission. do.The rover, which comes at a cost of approximately $2 billion, will be the most expensive contribution ever made to the mission by a non-US partner.
On Friday, Kishida will visit Toyota's electric vehicle battery factory under construction as well as Honda's business jet subsidiary in North Carolina. He will also meet students at North Carolina State University.
Kishida and his wife will stop at the White House on Tuesday evening ahead of Wednesday's official visit and formal state dinner as President Joe Biden tries to celebrate the decades-old ally he sees as a cornerstone of his Indo-Pacific policy . Kishida will be the fifth world leader to be honored with a state dinner by Biden since he takes office in 2021.
Before visiting the White House, Kishida is set to visit Arlington Nation Cemetery and stop at the US Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.Biden and Kishida will hold talks on Wednesday and attend a joint press conference, before Biden welcomes the Japanese leader with a state dinner in the East Room. The prime minister is also invited to address a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday Is. Shinzo Abe gave a speech to Congress in 2015, making him the second Japanese leader to address it.
The visit follows Biden's announcement last month that he opposes the planned sale of Pittsburgh-based US Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel, highlighting a major rift in the partnership at the same moment the two leaders aim to strengthen it. Biden argued when announcing his opposition that the US needs to "retain strong American steel companies, run by American steel workers."
Biden's envoy to Tokyo, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, on Monday sought to minimize the impact of Biden's opposition to the US steel acquisition on the relationship.Emanuel said the Biden administration in February approved a plan that would boost billions of dollars in U.S.-based revenues. A subsidiary of the Japanese company Mitsui for crane production in the United States. Former Chicago Mayor Emanuel said in a joint appearance with Japan's chief envoy to Washington at the Center for Strategic N "The U.S. relationship is much deeper and stronger and more important than a commercial deal." , "As we will be in Chicago, you will have to rest."
Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy US Steel for $14.The billions in cash, raising concerns over what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and US national security. Japan's Ambassador to Washington, Shigeo Yamada, declined to comment on whether Kishida would join the Nippon-U.S. Will take it forward. Steel deal with Biden.
Biden has sought to focus greater foreign policy on the Pacific even as he grapples with the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. Last year, Biden brought Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol together at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, a historic summit between the leaders of two countries whose shared history is difficult.Biden has honored Yun with a state visit and has chosen Kishida's predecessor, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, as the first face-to-face foreign leader to visit of his presidency.
The Administration is pleased by Japan's strong support for Ukraine. Tokyo has been one of Kiev's biggest donors since Russia's February 2002 invasion, and Japan has increased its defense spending amid concerns about China's military assertiveness.
Yamada, in his joint appearance with Emanuel, suggested that Kishida highlight Japan's support for Ukraine during his appearance before Congress and explain why the conflict in Eastern Europe matters to his country. Biden is struggling to get House Republicans to support his call to send an additional $6 billion to Kiev as he tries to contain Russia.Kishida warned that a war in Europe could lead to conflict in East Asia, suggesting that a lax attitude toward Russia emboldens China.
Yamada said, "The prime minister believes that today's Ukraine can be tomorrow's East Asia."
Kishida will be in Washington on Thursday to attend meetings with Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philippine-Chinese relations have been repeatedly tested by skirmishes between the two countries' coast guard vessels in the disputed South China Sea. Chinese coast guard ships also regularly visit the disputed Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands near Taiwan.Beijing says Taiwan is part of its territory and will be brought under control by force if necessary.
"Cooperation between our three countries is extremely important to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and safeguarding a free and open international order based on the rule of law," Kishida said on Monday, before leaving for Washington.
The leaders are expected to discuss plans to upgrade the US military command structure in Japan. About 54,000 US troops are deployed in Japan. Kishida and Biden are also expected to confirm Japan's participation in NASA's Artemis moon program as well as the contribution of a moon rover developed by Toyota Motor Corp and the inclusion of a Japanese astronaut in the mission. do.The rover, which comes at a cost of approximately $2 billion, will be the most expensive contribution ever made to the mission by a non-US partner.
On Friday, Kishida will visit Toyota's electric vehicle battery factory under construction as well as Honda's business jet subsidiary in North Carolina. He will also meet students at North Carolina State University.
