TOKYO — Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held his first talks as Japanese leader with President Joe Biden and confirmed they will work to strengthen their alliance and co-operate in regional security in the face of growing challenges from China and North Korea.
Kishida, who was elected by Parliament and sworn in Monday, told reporters that Biden reassured him of the US commitment to defend the Japanese-controlled East China Sea island Senkaku, which China also claims and has escalated coast guard activity in the area.
Biden provided “a strong statement about US commitment for the defence of Japan,” Kishida said, adding that the two leaders also reaffirmed they would tackle together the “challenges facing neighbouring regions such as China and North Korea.”
Kishida supports stronger Japan-US security ties and partnerships with other like-minded democracies in Asia, Europe and Britain, in part to counter China and nuclear-armed North Korea. Kishida has also pledged to beef up Japan’s missile and naval defence capabilities.
Kishida on Monday acknowledged the need to continue dialogue with China, an important neighbour and trade partner, but said that “we must speak up” against China’s attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas.
The two leaders confirmed their commitment to work together towards achieving the free and open Indo-Pacific” vision of partnerships among the regional democracies as a counter to China’s increasingly assertive activity, Kishida said.
Holding his first talks as prime minister with the US president serves “a first step towards lifting the Japan-US alliance to even higher levels,” Kishida said.
The 20-minute phone talks Monday started with Biden congratulating Kishida on taking office. The leaders agreed to call each other by their first names, Joe and Fumio, and agreed to meet for their first in-person talks at an early date.
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