On April 11, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio became only the second Japanese prime minister to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. Kishida’s speech was received positively, yet he surprised many with his bold statements. While acknowledging the current challenges in the world and political climate in the United States, Kishida did not hold … Read more
After wide-ranging talks on bilateral, regional, and international issues in Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio have agreed to deepen and widen defense and security cooperation as “Global Partners for the Future.” In doing so, the allies plan to counter China’s forceful maritime expansion, North Korea’s rapid nuclear and missile … Read more
U.S. President Joe Biden praised Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s “bold” leadership on a series of global crises as he welcomed the Japanese leader to the White House on Wednesday for wide-ranging talks that touched on the delicate security situation in the Pacific, the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and more. Kishida’s official visit, which … Read more
A “historic” visit will take place, according to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, when President Joe Biden hosts Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio for a state visit on April 10. During the second such state visit since 2015, Kishida will, at the urging of a bipartisan group of Senators, speak at a joint session … Read more
On January 25, the White House announced an upcoming state visit by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his wife Yuko Kishida on April 10, 2024. During the visit, the two leaders are expected to discuss ways in which the United States and Japan will continue to deepen partnership to continue to advance the two … Read more
In recent years, Japan has faced increased threats from various directions: from Russia to the north, and from North Korea and China to the west. No wonder, as John Mearsheimer once put it, Japan’s defense posture needs to be more like Godzilla and less like Bambi. This quandary is not new. In fact, for decades, … Read more
Governments around the world were keeping a close eye on this week’s summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden, held on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leader’s Meeting in San Francisco. In their first in-person meeting since November 2022 – and just their second since Biden assumed office – the … Read more
Advertisement On September 4, the Japanese Supreme Court ruled that Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki is legally obligated to approve the relocation of a U.S. military base from the Okinawan district of Ginowan to Henoko district in the prefecture’s Nago city. The decision follows Tamaki’s years-long legal battle to prevent the relocation after landfill work, which … Read more
Advertisement Japan no longer needs U.S. pressure to undertake a radical expansion in its defense capabilities and security commitments. Rising threat levels in Japan’s regional environment, particularly from China, have become the most important factor driving change in these areas of government policy, as well as changing public attitudes toward dramatically increasing defense capabilities and … Read more
Advertisement In December 2022, Japan announced a new National Security Strategy, including a significant increase of the defense budget and the acquisition of offensive weaponry. While the decision has been praised among the hawks of U.S. and transatlantic foreign policymaking, it is stirring up old ghosts of Japanese militarism in East Asia. At the same … Read more