China News Service, January 30. According to a report by Kyodo News Agency on January 29, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US President Biden held a telephone conference to officially launch a new phase of diplomacy with the United States.
The report pointed out that at this stage, efforts will be made to maintain the Japan-US relations established by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former President Trump.
However, it is not easy for Suga Yoshihide, who inherited "Abe diplomacy," to keep in step with Biden, who has successively changed Trump policies.
There has also been a "voice of vigilance" in the Japanese government, that is, based on Biden's political stance, he believes that he may adopt a biased attitude toward South Korea on the historical issues of Japan and South Korea, and the difficulty of diplomatic relations is not low.
Data map: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
Regarding the time of the talks, the busy Biden made adjustments in response to the request of the Japanese government to "hold it as soon as possible" and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's "difficult to deal with during the Congress".
It is proposed that the talks be held in the early hours of the 28th, just before the night of the 27th.
Although Yoshihide Suga was going to attend the Senate Budget Committee meeting the next morning, he told people around him, "It doesn't matter. Let's hold (talking)."
During the telephone conversation with Biden, Suga Yoshihide confirmed the maintenance of the "free and open Indo-Pacific" concept promoted by Abe and Trump.
On the issue of climate change, which is accused of Trump's negative attitude, Japan and the United States have also reached an agreement on cooperation.
Yoshihide Suga revealed to the media after the meeting: "This is a very good meeting."
However, whether Yoshihide Suga hopes to adhere to the idea of Japan-US cooperation in the era of Abe and Trump is unpredictable.
Regarding Biden's actions, which advocates international coordination, Japanese diplomatic sources pointed out that Biden may "further request (Japan) to cooperate and contribute to East Asian stability than the previous government."
In particular, it is Biden's participation in the opposition between Japan and South Korea that makes the Japanese side nervous.
According to reports, the Biden administration focuses on North Korea and attaches importance to Japan-US-South Korea cooperation.
If the U.S. forces Japan to move closer to South Korea on the two issues of conscripted labor and comfort women in order to promote cooperation, Suga Yoshihide is likely to be caught in a dilemma between the U.S. and Japan’s domestic public opinion, who is expecting a hard-line attitude towards South Korea. .
During the telephone conversation, the two governments did not disclose the content of Japan-South Korea relations.
Regarding whether to talk about Japan-US-South Korea cooperation, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Japanese Government, Sakai Gakushu said, "it is inconvenient to disclose details."
Data map: US President Biden.
Regarding the extent to which the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics may be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the extent to which the United States can assist is unknown.
According to reports, the Biden administration has not discussed in depth the Olympic response measures, and the position may not be finalized.
Yoshihide Suga did not make the Olympics a topic in the telephone conversation.
The report also pointed out that the new crown epidemic is also a hindering factor in the face of Yoshihide Suga who hopes to visit the United States as soon as possible to build a "trust relationship" with Biden. With the number of infected people in the United States reaching about 26 million, it is not yet transparent when the United States is ready to accept the visit. It is also expected that opinions may have to be communicated through telephone conversations and online meetings. (Finish)