US President Joe Biden to meet Japanese PM Kishida on the sidelines of G7 summit

US President Joe Biden will kick off his visit to Japan with a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday, reported Sputnik citing the White House statement. Notably, the G7 summit would be held from May 19-21, in Japan’s Hiroshima. According to the White House schedule, Biden would be reaching Hiroshima on Thursday, May 18, and would start with the bilateral meeting with Kishida the same day. 

Biden in Japan for G7 summit and meet Kishida 

While talking about Biden's plan to take part in G7, held in Japan, Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House spokesperson said, "Biden was going to travel to Japan on Wednesday to participate in the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit." Further, she added, "Biden would meet with congressional leaders "early next week" to discuss the raising of the debt limit." The G7 summit comes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well as ways to confront China’s assertive economic and military moves in the Indo-Pacific region. Further, he would make his first trip as president to Australia, which would include the third in-person meeting of the so-called “Quad” leadership of the US, Japan, Australia and India. “The President and G7 leaders will discuss a range of the most pressing global issues, including the G7’s unwavering support for Ukraine, addressing the dual food and climate crises, securing inclusive and resilient economic growth, and continuing to lead a clean energy transition at home and for our partners around the world," said White House spokesperson. 

In January 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held wide-ranging talks at the White House with President Jow Biden as Japan looked forward to building security cooperation with allies in a time of provocative Chinese and North Korean military action. Biden and Kishisda signed an agreement to bolster U.S.-Japanese cooperation on space with a signing ceremony by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa. Further, Biden had welcomed Japan's PM's first visit since he took office in October 2021 and he also praised Japan for its “historic” increase in defence spending and pledged close cooperation on economic and security matters.