Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is visiting the United States this week, marking the first state visit from Japan in nearly a decade. During his visit, Kishida will hold a summit with President Joe Biden, where they are expected to discuss upgrading their defense alliance. There will also be a ‘first-ever summit’ involving the leaders of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines to showcase cooperation in the face of mounting tensions with China.
The focus of Kishida’s visit is to strengthen the alliance between Japan and the U.S. as China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region continues to grow. Kishida aims to emphasize Japan’s commitment to maintaining a rules-based international order and willingness to take on a greater role in security, the economy, and space to support Washington. He hopes to expand arms equipment and technology cooperation between Japan and other allies.
During the visit, Kishida will participate in various official events, including a White House arrival ceremony, a state dinner, and other formalities as a state guest. The emphasis on defense cooperation is due to growing worries about threats from China, North Korea, and Russia. Kishida has expressed concern that the conflict in Ukraine could escalate and impact East Asia, pointing out the importance of cooperation with like-minded countries.
At the upcoming summit between Biden and Kishida, the leaders are expected to discuss plans to modernize military command structures for better operational capabilities. Additionally, new initiatives for defense industry cooperation, such as co-production of weapons and maintenance of American equipment in Japan, will be on the agenda. The summit may also touch upon Japan’s potential participation in a security partnership with the U.S., U.K., and Australia.
Kishida’s government has been taking steps to accelerate Japan’s military buildup and enhance security cooperation with the U.S. Japan aims to acquire a “counterstrike” capability, demonstrating its commitment to increasing deterrence against China. This includes purchasing long-range cruise missiles and relaxing export guidelines to allow for the sale of lethal weapons and fighter jets developed in collaboration with other countries.
The trilateral summit with leaders from the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines comes at a time when the Philippines is facing escalating maritime tensions with China in the South China Sea. The leaders are expected to discuss strategies to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and uphold a free and open international order. Cooperation among the three countries is crucial in defending against aggressive Chinese actions and ensuring maritime security.
