What’s expected at Japanese PM Kishida’s US visit? A major upgrade in defense ties

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with President Joe Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance. He will also join a first-ever summit of the U.S., Japanese and Philippine leaders in Washington to showcase their cooperation in the face of an increasingly assertive China. Kishida hopes to further strengthen the alliance as China’s influence grows in the Indo-Pacific. He is also reaching out to the American public to ensure stable relations regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election later this year.