Kishida, Biden Affirm Japan-U.S. Unity ahead of G7 Summit

The Yomiuri Shimbun

19:12 JST, May 18, 2023

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks with U.S. President Joe Biden in Hiroshima on Thursday to confirm the Japan-U.S. alliance on security and economic issues ahead of the Group of Seven summit in the city.

At the bilateral meeting, Kishida and Biden coordinated views on issues to be put on the main agenda of the G7 summit, which kicks off on Friday, in order to show the two countries’ unity.

“I hope to demonstrate the G7’s unwavering willingness to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law, which has been promoted both by Japan and the United States,” Kishida said at the beginning of the talks.

“The Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” he also said. “The Japan-U.S. relationship is not only about security but is also multilayered and strong. I welcome the current situation in which cooperation between Japan and the United States is progressing greatly.”

Biden said the two countries will work together to address challenges such as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and strengthen the Indo-Pacific partnership.

Kishida was also to meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday on the sidelines of the G7 summit.