Japan's Suga to become first foreign leader to visit Biden
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In addition to the Indo-Pacific region, the two leaders will also be discussing pandemic measures and the issue of climate change
Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will soon be travelling to the United States to meet US President Joe Biden.
Suga will become the first foreign leader to meet the newly-elected US President face-to-face, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told the local reporters.
Biden and Suga will be meeting next month to discuss Indo-Pacific issues. This meeting will also help highlight the strong commitment towards a free and fair Indo-Pacific region.
The Japan Prime Minister will be making this trip only after he and his whole accompanying team get vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus, which has hit the US the hardest.
In addition to the Indo-Pacific region, the two leaders will also be discussing pandemic measures and the issue of climate change.
During this face-to-face summit, the two countries will also point out their concerns about North Korea and China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, which has equally concerned the US and Japan.
"We hope to further strengthen our bilateral relations including the Japan-US alliance and to confirm our close cooperation toward achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kato said. "It would be a good opportunity for us to show the rest of the world the close unity of the Japan-US alliance and the US commitment to the Indo-Pacific region."
The two leaders have earlier held virtual talks to discuss matters, and are set to meet again on Friday in the virtual summit of the Quad — which includes Australia, India, Japan and the US.
