US President Joe Biden holds a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the 23rd to discuss measures to contain China.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, North Korea's nuclear and missile development issues, and ways to improve relations between South Korea and Japan will also be addressed.
After visiting South Korea, President Biden visited Japan for the first time since taking office the day before, and had his first face-to-face summit in Tokyo this morning with Prime Minister Kishida, who took office in October last year.
Today's summit will focus on China's containment.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun predicted that in the joint statement to be announced after the US-Japan summit, the issue of Taiwan, which China is sensitive to, will be discussed, as well as the policy of jointly 'responding to deterrence' against China's actions.
Prime Minister Kishida is also said to be explaining to President Biden how to strengthen Japan's defense capabilities, such as having Japan's 'capability to attack enemy bases' (counterattack capability) and reviewing an increase in defense costs.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the issue of strengthening 'extended deterrence' (extended deterrence), in which the United States protects Japan with its nuclear and other powers.