Congress leaders announced that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been invited to speak to a joint session of the US Congress during his visit next month.
According to Japanese media, the prime minister of the close US ally will make his first statement on April 11 since the late Shinzo Abe did so in 2015.
President Joe Biden will greet Kishida on April 10 at the White House, which declared Japan to be “one of our closest allies in the whole world” in January.
The state dinner that is part of the visit demonstrates Washington’s commitment on an important partner while keeping an eye on North Korea’s unpredictable behavior and China’s growing assertiveness.
Eight months will pass since Biden welcomed Kishida and the leader of South Korea to his Camp David retreat for a historic encounter that alarmed China.
“At a time when democracy is under threat from authoritarian regimes around the world, it is now more important than ever for the United States to show our support and maintain relationships with our allies and partners,” the Senate’s Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement on Monday.
“Japan is a close ally — critical to both our national and economic security. This visit will continue to deepen the diplomatic and security relationship between our two countries and build on the strength of decades of cooperation.”
