US President arrives in Japan to reaffirm bilateral relations, Quad meet
May 22, 2022
Tokyo [Japan], May 22 : US President Joe Biden arrived in Japan on Sunday, to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and to reaffirm cooperation over Russia's war in Ukraine, local media reported.
During Biden's visit to Japan, he will be meeting the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, reported Japan Today. Post the meeting with the Emperor, the US President would take his leave to attend his first-ever bilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the State Guest House.
While in Tokyo, Biden will be launching his first major economic initiative, in terms of his administration, which is the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), with the goal to enhance collaboration on several issues such as supply chains, and digital economy standards, and infrastructure.
Further, Biden will also be meeting the kin of Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea in the year 1970's and 1980s. These families are waiting in hope for the US to resolve the issue, reported Japan Today.
Later on Tuesday, Biden and the Japanese Prime Minister Kishida will be joined by other members of the Quad (India and Australia), for its second in-person summit meeting, representing the four major Indo-Pacific democracies, seeking to further advance their commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific."
"The two leaders will consult on the broad and deep economic relationship between our two countries, as well as on a range of regional and global security issues," said National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan in a press briefing ahead of Biden's visit.
The US President embarked on a visit to Asia to reaffirm vital security alliances with South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, Biden will meet with the newly elected Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who campaigned on the platform of strengthening the US-ROK alliance and on improving relations between the ROK and Japan.
Biden is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the Indian and Australian leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
