He praised the historic increase in Japanese defense spending

Biden welcomes military reforms in Japan... and affirms Washington's commitment to its alliance with Tokyo

Biden called Kishida a "true friend."

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US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised the strength of the alliance between their two countries, and the increasing role that Japan intends to play in protecting stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Biden welcomed the military reforms in Japan, and affirmed Washington's commitment to its alliance with Tokyo.

Biden received Kishida at the White House the day before yesterday, and they held a meeting in the Oval Office, during which Biden described the meeting as "a historic moment in the alliance of the United States and Japan," and said that the relationship between the two countries is closer than ever.

He added, “I will be very clear, the United States is fully, comprehensively, and fully committed to the alliance, and most importantly to the defense of Japan.” .

For his part, Kishida thanked Biden for the American work on regional security, and said: "Japan and the United States are currently facing the most challenging and complex security situation in modern history."

He added that Tokyo has drawn up the new defense strategy issued last month to ensure peace and prosperity in the region.

Last month, Japan revealed its largest military build-up since World War II, in a historic shift from the peaceful approach it has followed for seven decades, a move fueled by fears of Chinese moves in the region.

Japan's military reforms will increase defense spending to 2% of GDP, under which Japan will buy missiles that can hit ships or land targets 1,000 kilometers away.

Kishida said he supports Biden's attempt to restrict the export of advanced semiconductors to China, however, he did not agree to a similar move to impose blanket restrictions on exports of chip-making equipment, which the United States imposed in October.

In a speech he later gave to students at Johns Hopkins University, Kishida spoke of Russia's war on Ukraine, saying, "That war marks the complete end of the post-Cold War world, and if we allow unilateral change of the status quo by force, it will happen elsewhere in the world including Asia.” Kishida stressed that the relationship with China is the most important challenge for both Japan and the United States.

Japan joined Western powers in imposing sanctions on Moscow, since its war on Ukraine in February 2022. Japan shows new ambitions against China, including space defense, the deployment of more Marines in Okinawa, and a military agreement with London.

Tokyo has come to consider that Beijing represents an unprecedented strategic challenge to its security, as well as intends to obtain the ability to counterattack, through the acquisition of long-range missiles, which is a major change in the country whose pacifist constitution established after World War II prohibits fighting wars. 

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