Biden, Kishida Set New Tone for US-Japan Ties With 70 New Initiatives To Counter China's Ambitions

As part of a “crowning partnership,” U.S. President Joe Biden‘s administration is hosting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a state visit this week.

What Happened: The initiatives are focused on aligning closer U.S. and Japanese military cooperation and coordination. The U.S. and Japan are also launching a military-industrial council to co-align and co-produce defense weapons, thereby increasing Japan’s weapons industrial capacity, reported The Hill.

The visit is aimed at strengthening ties in the Indo-Pacific region and is expected to result in the announcement of approximately 70 new initiatives to enhance the military, intelligence, research, and development partnership between the U.S. and Japan.

The two countries will collaborate with Australia for an integrated air defense network. The two nations plan to intensify their intelligence cooperation, following the U.S.’s detection of a significant Chinese hacking of Japan’s government computer networks. “We are stepping up our intelligence cooperation,” a senior administration official stated.

"In the last 60 years, you would define this relationship between the United States and Japan… as one of alliance protection. I think this State visit ends that era and defines the next period of time as alliance projection," a senior administration official said, according to the report. 

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Beyond military cooperation, Japan will also be made a lunar exploration partner, with the cooperation between NASA and Japan’s JAXA set to expand. New research partnerships on artificial intelligence between American and Japanese universities are also expected to be announced.

Why It Matters: These initiatives follow a series of strategic moves by both countries. Earlier, Kishida urged U.S. tech giants to invest in Japan, while Microsoft announced a major AI expansion and cybersecurity boost in Japan.

The U.S. and Japan are also reportedly discussing a high-speed rail proposal for Texas using Japanese bullet train technology.

The strengthening of U.S.-Japan ties comes amid potential disruptions in the tripartite alliance between Japan, the U.S., and South Korea, following a proposed summit between Kim Jong Un‘s sister Kim Yo Jong and Kishida.

These developments highlight the strategic importance of the U.S.-Japan partnership in countering China’s ambitions and maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

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