prime minister foreign visit

At White House, Japanese prime minister will trumpet strength of U.S. alliance

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was just 6 years old in 1963 when he and his family moved from Tokyo to New York, an entire hemisphere and endless cultural differences away.

The boy from ethnically homogenous Japan was struck by the diversity and generosity of his classmates while attending public school in Queens for three years, an impression that Kishida still recalls fondly six decades later.

Kishida can expect the same warmth during a state visit this week when he returns to the United States not just as the prime minister of his country, but also as the one who has led the U.S.-Japan alliance to its strongest point.

“The world is now facing a historical turning point with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East, and the security environment in East Asia,” he said in a one-on-one interview with The Washington Post at his official residence in Tokyo ahead of the visit. “It is important to demonstrate to the world the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance and how strong it is in today’s uncertain international society.”

President Biden will host Kishida at the White House on Wednesday for a state dinner. On Thursday, Kishida is scheduled to deliver a speech at a joint meeting of Congress. Both will be the first for a Japanese prime minister in nine years.

The trip will underscore the two countries’ growing partnership, bound by concerns of an increasingly tumultuous security environment in East Asia. The two leaders are expected to discuss new areas of cooperation, including closer coordination between the U.S. forces in Japan and the Japanese military, and joint development and production of military and defense equipment.

Beyond security, the leaders plan to talk about cooperation in space, artificial intelligence, global supply chains and more. Kishida also will tour new Toyota and Honda plants in North Carolina to highlight Japan’s economic importance as the largest foreign investor in the United States.

“During the visit, I would also like to emphasize that the Japan-U.S. alliance is not a relationship that is formed solely between the leaders of the two countries, but also between the Congress, between governments, and many private companies, local governments, and so on,” Kishida said.

That emphasis is sure to revive controversy over Japanese company Nippon Steel’s planned acquisition of U.S. Steel, which has sparked an outcry from lawmakers from both parties and from the powerful United Steelworkers union.

The Japanese steelmaker has pledged not to cut jobs, but the deal nonetheless has become a flash point in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state where U.S. Steel is headquartered. Kishida said he does not plan to discuss the deal with Biden.

Other points of friction are likely to include the impasse in Congress over the $60 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, which has frustrated American allies, and Japan’s need to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, which U.S. officials think are a weak link in the alliance. And officials from both countries will look to lock in plans in case of an unpredictable U.S. president’s return .

Japan is now at the center of U.S. strategy to counter China through what American officials call a “latticework” of groupings between like-minded nations.

The latest step in cementing this strategy will arrive Thursday with the first trilateral summit of Biden, Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. As China ramps up aggression in the South China Sea, rising maritime tensions have prompted Manila to draw closer to Tokyo and Washington. The three leaders are expected to announce new measures, including in maritime and economic security.

But this week’s pomp will mainly celebrate Kishida and the dramatic shifts Tokyo has made under his leadership to shed longtime postwar pacifist constraints.

In the past two years, Japan has taken previously unthinkable steps to bolster its defense capabilities , including increasing its defense budget to 2 percent of gross domestic product over five years, making it the third-largest in the world, and acquiring “ counterstrike ” capabilities to hit enemy bases with long-range missiles.

These moves demonstrate Japan’s growing desire to defend itself and better help enforce the global order. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kishida has repeatedly warned that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow.” The invasion triggered deep alarm in Japan that without a strong response, it could embolden China to attack Taiwan and lead to war in the Asia-Pacific region.

If Russia prevails, “it would show that force can actually bring benefits, even when breaking international law. If so, what would happen to East Asia? We must not allow any country to receive the wrong message,” Kishida said.

The prime minister recalled his visit in 2023 to Ukraine , where he spoke with victims in Bucha, the site of a civilian massacre by Russian troops, and said he was “outraged by the cruelty.”

“My visits to Kyiv and Bucha last March had a very significant impact on me,” Kishida said. “Actually touching the harsh and tragic reality of the war through the visit made me more determined in pursuing … lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible.”

Placid demeanor belies dramatic changes

The man who has led Japan through these dramatic changes is anything but dramatic. The mild-mannered leader almost never strays from prewritten talking points and has followed a traditional political career.

As a child living in Tokyo, Kishida spent every summer in Hiroshima, his family’s hometown. He would listen to stories from his grandmother and other survivors about the unfathomable horrors of nuclear devastation.

Kishida, 66, considers helping as foreign minister to broker Barack Obama’s 2016 visit to Hiroshima , the first by a sitting U.S. president, one of his most memorable achievements. Now, Kishida has hosted Group of Seven world leaders there twice , drawing attention to his oft-stated dream of a “ world without nuclear weapons .”

“Many leaders understand this [need for nuclear disarmament] in their heads, but to be able to take serious and concrete action, I think it is important for them to actually see the tragic and harsh reality with their own eyes and feel it in their hearts themselves,” he said.

Kishida’s familial path into politics is a common one in Japan; he followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were both lawmakers.

He cut his teeth helping with his father’s election campaigns. Although he has had by far the highest title in three generations of Kishida men in politics, he credits his father with teaching him the fundamental values of public service.

After his father died in 1992, Kishida won his seat in Hiroshima, moving up the ranks before becoming prime minister in October 2021.

Diplomacy has been one of the few bright points of Kishida’s tenure that has been unscathed by scandals. Domestically, Kishida’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has been mired in problems, including a massive political fundraising scandal that threatens his future as prime minister. Support for Kishida and his cabinet has been historically low.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laid the groundwork for Japan’s assertive foreign and defense policy, in hopes that Japan would play a bigger role on the global stage. But it is Kishida who put that plan into action, partly because he is not as divisive as Abe, many analysts say.

“He’s picked up on some of the important elements of the Abe revolution and advanced them in subtle and effective ways. He’s been able to do what Abe wasn’t able to do,” said Daniel Russel, former assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. “He’s got dovish politics and aura, but what that really means is that he’s trusted in ways that Abe never was. … That’s a huge asset, and he’s utilized it with real agility.”

One of the most dramatic moments of his term so far was the July 2022 assassination of Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. A year later, a man tried to attack Kishida . Both times, the politicians were on the campaign trail. And both times, Kishida insisted on immediately resuming campaign activities, saying the democratic process would not be deterred by violent attacks.

One area that U.S. officials are likely to laud during the visit is Kishida’s work with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to break a 12-year diplomatic stalemate and work together to cooperate with Washington to counter threats in the region. Yoon’s overtures have led to a resumption of “ shuttle diplomacy ” as both men try to show they are serious about setting aside thorny historical issues from Japan’s colonization of Korea in the first half of the 20th century.

Historical issues have bedeviled the two countries’ periods of rapprochement. It could happen again, with changes in domestic politics in both countries. In fact, the Kishida-Biden summit will be on the same day as the National Assembly elections in South Korea, which could render Yoon a lame duck well before his term ends in 2027.

But Kishida said that he learned as foreign minister that personal relationships make a huge difference in diplomacy, and that he hopes his relationship with Yoon will help the two countries build trust over time. The two men met seven times last year and have reportedly connected over their love for baseball and mutually high alcohol tolerance. Yoon has “never wavered in his promises or decisions, at least in my experience,” he said.

“Ultimately, it comes down to the relationship between the top officials who make the decisions on diplomacy,” Kishida said.

Julia Mio Inuma contributed to this report.

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List of countries visited by Narendra Modi for the first time ever as Indian Prime Minister

Prime minister narendra modi has made a deep impact on the world stage..

As PM embarks on his visit to France, here is a look at countries where Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister ever to visit.

Mongolia: Narendra Modi was the first-ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Mongolia in May 2015. During his visit, various agreements were signed between both nations. 

Palestine:  PM Modi visited Palestine in February 2018, the first for any Indian Prime Minister. During his visit, he signed six agreements worth around $50 million that includes setting up of a $30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur. He was also conferred the highest civilian award of Palestine, the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine.

Rwanda: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rwanda visit in July 2018 was the first visit to the East African country by any Indian Prime Minister. He held a bilateral meeting with the President of Rwanda and also met the business community. The PM visited the Genocide Memorial and participated in an event on "Girinka” (one cow per family), a national social protection scheme of Rwanda personally initiated by President Paul Kagame.

Israel: In the year 2017, Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. During the visit, seven MoUs were signed. 

Bahrain:  PM Modi visited the Kingdom of Bahrain in August 2019. This was the first-ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to the Kingdom. PM Modi held talks with Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and other leaders. He also interacted with the Indian diaspora.

Papua New Guinea: Prime Minister Modi was the Indian leader to visit Papua New Guinea. He visited the world's third-largest island country in May 2023. 

List of nations Indian PM visited after a long time 

Fiji: In 2014 November, PM Modi visited Fiji. He became the first Indian head of government to visit Fiji after 33 years, after Indira Gandhi's visit in 1981. During his maiden visit, the PM attended a 'Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation' along with leaders from all 14 Pacific island nations. He was conferred with the highest honour of Fiji. PM Modi was conferred with the "The Companion of the Order of Fiji" in recognition of his global leadership.

Seychelles: In March 2015, PM Modi visited Seychelles, thus becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Seychelles in 33 years, after Indira Gandhi. Modi's visit to Seychelles was part of his "Indian Ocean outreach" programme.

Mozambique: PM Narendra Modi visited Mozambique in 2016. This was the first prime ministerial visit from India to Mozambique after the visit of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982.

Sweden:  PM Modi visited Sweden in April 2018. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Sweden in 30 years. PM Modi, during his bilateral visit to Sweden, held productive talks with Swedish PM Stefan Lofven. PM Modi interacted with leading business leaders. The PM also met His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. 

UAE: In August 2015, PM Modi visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He was the first Indian Prime Minister in 34 years to visit the UAE. Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to have made a trip to the country in 1981.

Ireland:  PM Modi made a stopover in Ireland in 2015, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in around 60 years. Jawaharlal Nehru was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit Ireland in 1956. 

Turkmenistan:  Modi was the second Indian PM to visit Turkmenistan in 2015 after PV Narasimha Rao. PM Modi visited Turkmenistan and other central Asian countries following his visit to Russia for the BRICS summit.

Jordan: PM Modi visited Jordan in 2018, making it the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 30 years. Rajiv Gandhi visited the nation in 1988. PM Modi held a meeting with Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

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PM Modi expected to travel to US this month; here’s a look at his foreign trips in last two years

This visit is particularly significant as it will be the pm’s second diplomatic trip abroad since the pandemic first made its presence felt in india, last year. since 2014, pm modi has made over 100 trips abroad, visiting at least 60 countries..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to the United States towards the end of September, which will mark his first foreign visit in around six months. This will also be the first time PM Modi will be visiting the country after President Joe Biden assumed office.

As per a tentative schedule, PM Modi’s visit will take place between September 22-27, sources said. During his trip, the Prime Minister is expected to visit both Washington and New York.

Apart from addressing the crisis unfolding in Afghanistan, the two sides will also be working on an ambitious agenda concerning the Indo-Pacific region. An in-person Quad leaders’ summit is slated to take place in Washington around the same time as PM Modi’s visit. On September 25, the PM is expected to address the annual high-level UN General Assembly session in person, as per a provisional list of speakers released by the UN.

This visit is particularly significant as it will be the PM’s second diplomatic trip abroad since the pandemic first made its presence felt in India last year. Since 2014, PM Modi has made over 100 trips abroad, visiting at least 60 countries. But the coronavirus pandemic brought all diplomatic travel to a standstill, until early this year, with 2020 becoming the first year since 2014 when Modi didn’t visit a foreign country.

Here is a look back at all of PM Modi’s foreign visits in the last two years

Bangladesh: March, 2021

His first visit since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic took place in March this year, when he travelled to Bangladesh for two days to take part in commemorations of three epochal events in the country: Mujib Borsho or the birth centenary of Bangladesh’s father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 50 years of diplomatic ties and 50 years of Bangladesh’s war of liberation.

Brazil: November 13-14, 2019 

Before the pandemic struck, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Brazil on November 13-14, 2019 to attend the 11th BRICS summit. He met the leaders of the four major emerging economies in the world – namely Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa and called for closer cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, trade and culture to bolster ties and formulate a common response to global issues.

Thailand: November 2-4, 2019 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Thailand between November 2-4 to attend the ASEAN -India, East Asia and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ( RCEP ) summits. He travelled to Bangkok at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Saudi Arabia: October 29, 2019 

PM Modi arrived in Riyadh on October 29 to meet Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and held delegation-level talks with the crown prince. The two world leaders signed an agreement on establishing the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

Several major pacts were signed, including an MoU to roll out the RuPay card – India’s digital payment system – and one on bringing coordination on e-migration systems between the two countries.

United States: 20-27 September, 2019

The Prime Minister’s last visit to the United States was in 2019, when he attended United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He also travelled to Houston, where he attended the ‘Howdy, Modi!’ event organised in his honour by Indian diaspora there. PM Modi and Trump spoke of strengthened ties between India-US, and addressed each other as “loyal friends”. They used each others campaign slogans; Modi nearly endorsed Trump’s reelection with ‘Abki baar Trump sarkar’, and ‘Make America great again’, while Trump borrowed the ‘Make in India’ slogan to promote ‘Made in America’.

Russia: 4-5 September, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia in September, 2019, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum and discussed ways to further cement the special and privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “good friend”, Modi said India-Russia friendship was not only restricted to their respective capital cities. “We have put people at the core of this relationship,” the PM, who is on a two-day visit to Russia, said.

UAE and Bahrain: 23-25 August, 2019

PM Modi paid a three-day visit to the UAE and Bahrain, where he held extensive talks with top leaders of the two countries on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

In the UAE, the Prime Minister received the the ‘Order of Zayed’, the highest civil decoration of the country. He then visited Bahrain for two days, in the first first ever prime ministerial visit from India to the Gulf nation.

France: 22-23 August, 2019

PM Modi visited France, where he held a summit interaction with President Emmanuel Macron to further boost the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. He also met his French counterpart Edouard Philippe and interacted with the Indian community. He dedicated a memorial to the Indian victims of the two Air India crashes in France in the 1950s and 1960s.

Bhutan: 17-18 August, 2019

On his second visit to Bhutan and first since his re-election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a wide range of discussion over the expansion of bilateral partnership with his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering Saturday and signed 10 MoUs to infuse new energy in their ties.

Japan: 27-29 June, 2019 

Prime Minister Modi travelled to Japan to attend the 2019 G-20 summit in Osaka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met several global leaders and also addressed an informal meeting of BRICS leaders on the sidelines of the summit. He held bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump and thanked him for expressing his “love towards India” in a letter recently delivered by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Modi held an informal meeting with BRICS leaders’ meeting in which he emphasised on the need to stop all the mediums of support to terrorism and racism.

Kyrgyzstan (14-15 June, 2019)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in June, 2019.

Sri Lanka (9 June, 2019)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Sri Lanka’s former President Maithripala Sirisena in June, 2019. This was his first visit to Sri Lanka after returning to power, and the deadly terror attacks on Easter Sunday in which 250 people were killed in the Island nation. India had been providing intelligence and assistance in the investigation of the Islamic State-led attack.

South Korea (21-22 February, 2019)

During a two-day visit to South Korea in 2019, Prime Minister Modi was awarded the Seoul Peace Prize for 2018 for his “contribution to international cooperation and fostering global economic growth”.

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What’s behind Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit?

The US is seeking stronger ties with India, which it sees as a vital ally in efforts to contain China’s rise.

The administration of United States President Joe Biden is scheduled to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an official visit later this week, as the two countries strengthen their ties amid shared antipathy towards China’s growing influence.

The White House will hold a state dinner in Modi’s honour on June 22, a sign of the burgeoning relationship between the two powers who have stepped up cooperation in areas such as trade and arms sales.

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In a press release, the Biden administration said that a recent trip to New Delhi by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan “underscored the dynamism of the US-India partnership in advance of Prime Minister Modi’s historic official state visit next week to the United States”.

But human rights groups say the celebratory dinner is a de facto endorsement of India’s far-right turn under Modi’s leadership — and undermines the Biden administration’s stated goal of emphasising human rights and democracy in its foreign policy.

During Modi’s tenure, India’s Muslims and other minorities have experienced an uptick in violence and repression as the government leans into a form of Hindu nationalism known as Hindutva . Modi has also been criticised for seeking to consolidate power and crack down on dissent.

“A state dinner is a special occasion; it’s not something that just any foreign leader receives,” Edward Mitchell, the deputy executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told Al Jazeera over a phone call.

“How can the White House honour a leader who is an open anti-Muslim bigot, a right-wing ideologue who censors journalists and turns a blind eye to lynchings? You can work with India and Modi without taking this extra step to celebrate him.”

Confronting China

While advocacy groups have called for greater scrutiny of India’s human rights record , foreign policy experts say the Biden administration is primarily interested in the country as a potential counterweight to China, which the US sees as its most formidable global competitor.

Sarang Shidore, Director of Studies and Senior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute, a US-based think tank, told Al Jazeera that he believes the US-India relationship will continue to grow as long as their shared concern over China remains in place.

“The United States does not conduct its foreign policy based on democracy and human rights. It conducts its foreign policy based on its interests, as all states do,” Shidore said.

China’s growing military power and assertive territorial claims have become a source of concern for nearby Asian countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and India. The US has worked to fashion alliances with many of those countries in an attempt to contain China’s expanding influence.

“No question, there is increased Chinese nationalism,” said Shidore. “And China sees India as an increasing challenge due to its relationship with the US.”

Expanding ties

That was not always the case. During the Cold War, India’s relations with the US were often frosty. The country had cultivated close ties with the USSR and helped spearhead the Non-Aligned Movement, an organisation of countries that rejected pressures to join either pro-US or pro-Soviet blocs.

For its part, the US was a key ally of Pakistan. And by the early 1970s, the administration of US President Richard Nixon started to build a cooperative relationship with China, as an attempt, in part, to place pressure on the USSR.

But as the Cold War ended and China’s economic rise became a preoccupation of US foreign policy, India — with its size and economic heft — started to be seen as a key regional ally.

Despite its improved ties with the US, however, India has continued to resist what it sees as a false choice between the US and countries like President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

But as Russia wages war in Ukraine and Washington seeks to isolate Moscow economically and diplomatically, that balancing act has become more difficult for India to maintain.

While India has increased its purchase of weapons from countries such as France and the US and recently agreed on a roadmap to increase cooperation with the US defence industry, it remains the world’s largest importer of Russian arms.

India has also joined China in buying up Russian oil at discounted prices, while the US and the European Union angle to limit Russia’s power in the global energy market.

But Shidore said that India’s status as a central player in Washington’s Asia strategy gives it significant leverage . Its ties to Russia are not likely to get in the way of its relationship with the US, he explained.

“India has played this quite well, playing Russia and the US off each other, and has benefitted in the process,” he said. “A country like India, which has such a strong convergence with the US on China, can create major spaces where it will differ very strongly from the US and can ride that out.”

Consolidating control

While US relations with allies such as Saudi Arabia and Israel have come under political scrutiny in recent years, Modi’s trip to the US has been welcomed with bipartisan support. An a joint letter inviting Modi to address Congress during his visit, members of the US House of Representatives and Senate have hailed the visit as a sign of the “enduring friendship” between the two countries.

“During your address, you will have the opportunity to share your vision for India’s future and speak to the global challenges our countries both face,” the letter reads.

However, Modi’s human rights record has not gone entirely unremarked. On Tuesday, a group of more than 70 lawmakers from the US House and Senate penned a letter to the Biden urging him to discuss concerns about religious freedom and journalistic expression in his talks with Modi.

The Muslim rights group CAIR, meanwhile, has issued a statement calling on the White House to drop its plans for a state dinner.

Modi’s high-profile reception in the US is a far cry from what he experienced before he was first elected prime minister in 2014. Prior to becoming India’s leader, Modi had been banned from entering the US due to allegations that he turned a blind eye to anti-Muslim violence in the western Indian state of Gujarat in 2002, when he was the province’s chief minister.

The deadly 2002 riots were the subject of a BBC documentary that Modi tried to ban in January, invoking his emergency powers as prime minister. The rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch screened the documentary in Washington on Tuesday.

Human rights groups say the move to ban the film was representative of a larger effort under Modi to stifle dissent and exercise control over independent institutions. They also accuse his government of pursuing an agenda influenced by far-right Hindu nationalism.

In an annual report on religious freedom in May, the US State Department expressed concern about the situation in India, noting that there were “open calls for genocide against Muslims”, lynchings and “attacks on places of worship”.

In May, for the fourth year in a row, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom called on the State Department to designate India as a “country of particular concern”.

In some states controlled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), politicians who lean into violent anti-Muslim rhetoric face little reprimand. Some Hindu nationalist paramilitaries have also waged a campaign against interfaith marriages , which they portray as an effort to dilute the Hindu population and win converts to Islam through “love jihad”.

Shidore, however, said that Modi’s human rights record has been quickly “papered over” and is unlikely to prevent cooperation with the US, so long as China remains a serious global competitor.

“The United States”, he said, “has set human rights issues aside in order to strengthen ties”.

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Biden and Japan’s Leader Look to Bind Ties to Outlast Them Both

Hovering over a state visit to Washington is the possibility of a swing in American foreign policy if Donald Trump returns to the White House.

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By Motoko Rich

Reporting from Tokyo

When President Biden welcomes Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, to Washington this week for a visit highlighted by the pomp of a state dinner, there will be an inescapable subtext to all the ceremony: Both leaders are in a fight to keep their jobs.

With Mr. Biden facing a tight re-election contest with his predecessor and Mr. Kishida’s approval ratings falling to record lows amid a political scandal, the leaders are expected to discuss ways to entrench their countries’ alliance so it remains strong even if they are no longer around to nurture it.

The goal is to “create a situation where no one can unbind their ties,” said Narushige Michishita, a professor of international relations at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

The risk of drastic change appears to be much higher on the American side. Japanese officials, lawmakers and media outlets have taken to referring to “moshi Tora” — “if Trump” — or even “hobo Tora,” which roughly translates to “probably Trump,” using an abbreviation of the name of the former president and current Republican candidate.

Given Donald J. Trump’s unpredictable behavior and his transactional view of international alliances , Japanese officials are bracing for possible swings in American foreign policy.

On the Japanese side, even if Mr. Kishida does not survive a leadership election this fall in his own party, it will still control the government at least until the next general election and probably beyond that — meaning any big changes in Tokyo’s policy commitments are unlikely.

At the summit this week, during which Mr. Kishida will also address a joint session of Congress, the leaders are expected to talk about closer military cooperation between U.S. forces based in Japan and their Japanese counterparts; collaborations on artificial intelligence, space technology and semiconductors; and the potential for Japan to make and export more weapons to the United States.

The military cooperation in particular “smells of future proofing,” said Tobias Harris, founder and principal of Japan Foresight, a political risk advisory firm in Washington.

During the Trump presidency, the relationship between the two countries withstood some turbulence as Shinzo Abe , Japan’s prime minister at the time, went to great lengths to court Mr. Trump’s favor.

Mr. Biden has worked with two Japanese leaders — Yoshihide Suga , the successor to Mr. Abe, who was assassinated in 2022, and Mr. Kishida — to restore and expand the alliance while also developing stronger bonds with other partners in Asia to counter China’s rising power.

Last summer, Mr. Biden hosted Mr. Kishida and his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk Yeol, at the president’s first meeting with foreign leaders at Camp David . This week, Mr. Biden and Mr. Kishida will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines in the first trilateral session among leaders of those three countries.

In an interview with foreign media outlets on Friday, Mr. Kishida said high-level talks between multiple partners were crucial given the “very complex and challenging security environment.”

“Japan believes that it is important for peace and stability in the region to cooperate with the Philippines and other like-minded countries while maintaining the Japan-U.S. alliance as a cornerstone,” Mr. Kishida said.

China, which has militarized islands in the South China Sea, clashed repeatedly with Philippine boats and pursued a strategy of squeezing Taiwan , has stopped short of a major confrontation that could draw in the United States and, by extension, Japan.

Mr. Biden hopes to consolidate a binding network of Pacific countries to deter Chinese aggression at a time when the United States is already entangled with wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

“The U.S. is obviously running thin in resources and diplomatic capital,” said Mireya Solís, author of “ Japan’s Quiet Leadership: Reshaping the Indo-Pacific .” “There is a desire to make sure that the alliance is fit for purpose” if there is a conflict in Asia.

For its part, Japan has made bold changes in defense policy after years of nominal pacifism, doubling the amount earmarked for military spending and acquiring Tomahawk missiles from the United States.

Late last year, Japan shifted postwar policies that restricted the export of weapons and agreed to sell American-designed Patriot missiles made in Japan to the U.S. government.

This week in Washington, Mr. Biden and Mr. Kishida are expected to discuss the formation of a joint defense council that would explore further exports, including additional Japanese-produced Patriots, cruise missiles and trainer jets used by fighter pilots, according to a senior American government official who requested anonymity to speak about details of the meeting. Japan could also cooperate with the United States to help repair American Navy ships so they do not have to leave the region for maintenance.

Beyond defense, an economic component to Mr. Kishida’s visit — an expected trip to a Toyota battery plant for electric vehicles in North Carolina — may also be intended to offer a public reminder of Japan’s investments in the United States.

Such reminders may be aimed particularly at Mr. Trump: In 2019, during a Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan, Mr. Abe gave the president a one-page, colorful map that showed American investments by companies based in Japan, the largest foreign direct investor in the United States.

Without explicitly mentioning it, Japan may also be trying to exert pressure on the Biden administration to allow Nippon Steel, a Japanese corporation, to acquire U.S. Steel , the struggling manufacturer based in Pittsburgh.

Last month, Mr. Biden said in a statement that it was “vital” for U.S. Steel “to remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated .” White House officials have indicated that the administration will review the proposed deal for national security implications.

“The contrast between an administration raising national security concerns about a Japanese steel company buying an American steel company at the same time you’re trying to raise military industrial cooperation — the messaging is a little messy,” said Mr. Harris, the Japan analyst.

If the deal does not go through, it could complicate business ties between the two countries, said Wendy Cutler, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former U.S. trade representative in Asia.

“The question is whether going forward this leaves a chilling effect in the eyes of other Japanese investors or, frankly, investors from other allies and partners,” Ms. Cutler said.

Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, said the alliance between the two countries “runs a lot deeper and is a lot stronger and has a lot more strategic alignment than a single commercial deal.”

With Congress stalled over extending American military assistance to Ukraine , Mr. Kishida’s aides declined to say whether the prime minister would invoke Japan’s support for Ukraine during his speech to American lawmakers this week.

But in the interview on Friday, Mr. Kishida said he would like to “express and acknowledge with President Biden the importance of continued efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine through unity among the G7 and other like-minded countries.”

As for the ceremonial parts of the visit, no word yet on whether the prime minister will follow his South Korean counterpart by crooning an iconic American song at the state dinner on Wednesday.

Kiuko Notoya contributed reporting.

Motoko Rich is a reporter in Tokyo, leading coverage of Japan for The Times. More about Motoko Rich

Fumio Kishida Travels to the United States as Prime Minister of a More Assertive Japan

E mbattled Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida travels to the White House on Friday for a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden that promises to deepen the two nations’ security alliance amid rising tensions with China and North Korea.

It will be Kishida’s first meeting with Biden since December’s announcement of Japan’s biggest military build-up since World War II, and it follows whistlestop visits by Kishida to Britain, France, Italy, and Canada—industrial powers that Japan will host at a G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.

On Friday, Kishida and Biden are expected to discuss Japan’s plans to acquire missiles able to strike targets across East Asia, efforts to limit China’s access to advanced technology like semiconductors, and strategies to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the two leaders will also agree to new cooperation on thwarting potential threats from space, reconfiguring U.S. troop deployments on Japan’s island of Okinawa, and developing uninhabited islands for joint military drills.

“The big message here is the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance,” says Jeffery Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University in Japan. Kishida, he says, “has basically pushed through a major transformation in Japan’s security policy.”

The trip is also seen as key to restoring domestic credibility for Kishida, who took office in 2021, following a slew of scandals—over resignations by senior colleagues and his Liberal Democratic Party’s ties to the cult-like Unification Church —which have seen his cabinet’s approval rating plummet from 53% in June to 25% in December .

Japan’s new military posture

In December, Japan revised three key defense policy documents, including the National Security Strategy, drastically boosting its military spending while acquiring capabilities to preemptively strike enemy bases in a major departure from its pacifist constitution.

Japan’s draft budget for next year includes $1.58 billion for U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles amid a stated aim to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2027 —a figure in line with NATO targets. Although Japan is not a NATO member, Kishida attended a summit of the military alliance in June as an observer and considers the country a stakeholder in the Ukraine conflict given its disputed maritime border with Russia.

The shifting military posture also comes as Beijing ramps up military exercises near neighboring Taiwan and as North Korea launched a record number of missile tests last year (many of which passed over Japan). Last month, Kishida agreed to develop a new fighter jet with the U.K. and Italy , and he signed a deal with the former that will allow visits by each other’s armed forces.

These moves all align with the Biden administration’s call for Japan to play a bolder role in regional security.

“The United States needs the Indo-Pacific region to be prosperous and secure in order for the United States itself to be prosperous and secure,” a senior State Department official tells TIME.

Focus on Taiwan

Beijing’s military assertiveness around self-ruling Taiwan—which China claims as its sovereign territory—has unsettled Japan and the U.S., not least since China and Moscow held joint military drills in the East China Sea just last month.

In a joint statement, Washington and Tokyo said China presents an “unprecedented” threat to the international order. “China’s foreign policy seeks to reshape the international order to its benefit and to employ China’s growing political, economic, military, and technological power to that end,” it said.

Beijing launched unprecedented military drills encircling Taiwan—some less than 10 miles from its coast—in August following a visit by then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In an ominous sign, new Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he plans to follow suit , which would no doubt prompt a similar furious reaction from Beijing.

Biden will also hope to persuade Kishida to limit cooperation with China on new technology-driven industries such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and, particularly, semiconductor chips . Although Kishida has said he backs Biden’s export restrictions on semiconductors to China imposed in October, he has not yet agreed to match the curbs given the potential for economic retribution from China, Japan’s largest trade partner.

Setting the scene for the G7

It’s no coincidence that Kishida’s weeklong tour focuses on nations belonging to the G7, for which he will host a summit in his home city of Hiroshima in May. Since Japan’s defeat in World War II, its constitution has enshrined the principle that it will not wage war. Yet Kishida will hope to use the optics of the formerly nuclear-ravaged city—where an estimated 70,000-140,000 people died after the atomic bombing of Aug. 6, 1945—to press home the magnitude of new threats on its borders.

Not only has Russian President Vladimir Putin openly threatened nuclear war against the U.S. and its allies, but experts believe North Korea is rapidly preparing for a seventh nuclear test. “Politically, the symbolism is very important,” says Kingston.

The G7 will also be important to secure Kishida’s political future. An impending $7 billion tax hike to pay for the military expansion means there’s been no shortage of criticism. Kishida, says Airo Hino, a professor of political science at Tokyo’s Waseda University, “ would like to balance that out by making diplomatic progress with other leaders at the G7 summit.” Hino says that an expected popularity boost following the summit may even prompt Kishida to call a snap election to assert his mandate.

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Australia will boost defence spending by A$50.3 billion ($32 billion) over the next decade and reshuffle its weapons programs to emphasise missiles, drones and warships as it looks to the possibility of a Pacific conflict between China and the U.S.

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Details of Foreign/Domestic Visits

Details of Foreign/Domestic Visits of Prime Minister since 26.05.2014

Foreign Visits:

Expenditure: The expenses on foreign visits of PM are met from the budget of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) .

Details of Visits: Foreign visits undertaken by PM since 26.05.2014 along with duration and expenses incurred on chartered flights is given below:-

Domestic Visits:

Expenditure: The expenses on domestic visits of PM are met out of the budget of Ministry of Defence.

Details of Visits: List of domestic visits of PM from 26.05.2014 along with duration is available in the website of PMO.

(Page last updated on 20.02.2024)

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British foreign secretary visits Thailand to pursue stronger defense and economic ties

In this photo released by the Government Spokesman Office, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, left, talks with Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, at the Government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Thailand’s Government Spokesman Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Government Spokesman Office, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, left, shakes hand with Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, at the Government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Thailand’s Government Spokesman Office via AP)

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BANGKOK (AP) — Britain’s foreign secretary met with Thailand’s prime minister on Wednesday on his first visit to the Indo-Pacific region.

Britain’s foreign office said the discussion between David Cameron and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was aimed at improving cooperation in areas including defense, the economy and trade. Britain estimates the countries’ trading relationship as being worth $7.6 billion annually.

Cameron, a former British prime minister, was leaving later Wednesday for Australia for an annual bilateral meeting on defense and foreign affairs.

Cameron visited a Thai air force base and inspected jet fighters using British components, and visited a university to highlight British support for research into disease prevention and developing clean energy systems, the British statement said.

Cameron called Thailand an “influential player” in the region.

The Thai government noted that Britain was the first European country to form a strategic partnership with Thailand. The partnership addresses science, security, education and other areas.

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

T OKYO (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 .

The Associated Press explains the significance of Kishida’s visit and the two summits.

The biggest event during the weeklong trip is his summit with Biden on Wednesday. Kishida hopes to further strengthen the alliance as China's influence grows in the Indo-Pacific.

Kishida is also reaching out to the American public to showcase Japan’s contribution to the U.S. economy and ensure stable relations regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election later this year.

Kishida, who has pushed sweeping changes fortifying Japan’s defense capabilities since taking office in 2021, will emphasize that Japan and the U.S. are now global partners working to maintain a rules-based international order, and that Japan is willing to take on a greater international role in security, economy and space to help Washington.

Expanding arms equipment and technology cooperation between the two countries and other like-minded partners is also highly important, Kishida on Friday told selected media , including AP.

Kishida, stung by a corruption scandal, needs a successful U.S. visit to shore up low support ratings at home.

As a state guest, Kishida will be welcomed in a White House arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, a formal state dinner and other official events. He is the fifth state guest of Biden, who has also hosted leaders of India, Australia, South Korea and France, underscoring America’s focus on Indo-Pacific security partnerships.

Kishida is the first Japanese leader to make a state visit since Shinzo Abe in 2015. Abe made a major revision to the interpretation of Japan’s pacifist Constitution, allowing its self-defense-only principle to also cover its ally, the United States.

Defense tops the agenda because of growing worries about threats from China, North Korea and Russia. Chinese coast guard ships regularly approach disputed Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands near Taiwan . Beijing says Taiwan is part of its territory and will be brought under control by force if necessary.

There are also worries about North Korean nuclear and missile threats and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kishida has warned that the war in Europe could lead to conflict in East Asia, suggesting that a lax attitude to Russia emboldens China.

“While we maintain the Japan-U.S. alliance as a cornerstone, we believe it is important to cooperate with like-minded countries, including the Philippines,” Kishida said.

Biden and Kishida are expected to agree on a plan to modernize their military command structures so they can better operate together. America stations 50,000 troops in Japan. The Japanese Self Defense Force is preparing to restructure so it has a unified command for ground, air and naval forces by March 2025.

Also expected are new initiatives for defense industry cooperation, including co-production of weapons, possibly a new missile, and the repair and maintenance of American warships and other equipment in Japan to help U.S. operations in the western Pacific.

Japan’s possible participation in a U.S.-U.K.-Australia security partnership to develop and share advanced military capabilities, including artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and hypersonics, may also come up.

Kishida and Biden are also expected to confirm Japan’s participation in NASA’s Artemis moon program and its contribution of a moon rover developed by Toyota Motor Corp. and the inclusion of a Japanese astronaut. The rover, which comes at a roughly $2 billion cost, is the most expensive contribution to the mission by a non-U.S. partner to date, a U.S. official said.

Since adopting a more expansive national security strategy in 2022 , Kishida’s government has taken bold steps to accelerate Japan’s military buildup. He hopes to show Tokyo is capable of elevating its security cooperation with the U.S. Kishida has pledged to double defense spending and boost deterrence against China, which Japan considers a top security threat.

Japan, working to acquire what it calls a “counterstrike” capability, has purchased 400 U.S. Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles. After prohibiting almost all weapons transfers, it has relaxed export guidelines twice in recent months, allowing the sale of lethal weapons to countries from which they were licensed and the overseas sales of a fighter jet it’s co-developing with the U.K. and Italy. The changes have allowed Japan to ship Japanese-made PAC-3 missiles to the U.S. to help replace those contributed by Washington to Ukraine.

The first-ever trilateral summit between Biden, Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. comes as the Philippines faces escalating maritime tension with China over their contested South China Sea claims.

Biden wants to show that the three maritime democracies are unified as they face aggressive Chinese action against the Philippine coast guard and its supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, according to a senior Biden administration official.

Japan has sold coastal radars to the Philippines and is now negotiating a defense agreement that would allow their troops to visit each other’s turf for joint military exercises.

The trilateral comes eight months after Biden hosted a meeting with leaders from Japan and South Korea at Camp David .

“Cooperation among our three countries are extremely important in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and in defending a free and open international order based on the rules of law,” Kishida said Monday before leaving for Washington.

Kishida also wants to highlight Japan’s economic contributions in the U.S. There is growing uncertainty in Tokyo about U.S. elections, reflected by questions about what happens if former President Donald Trump wins, though experts say there is a bipartisan consensus on a stronger U.S.-Japan alliance.

Kishida will meet with business leaders and visit Toyota’s electric vehicle battery factory under construction for a planned launch in 2025, and Honda’s business jet subsidiary in North Carolina. He will also meet students at North Carolina State University on Friday.

In his congressional speech on Thursday, Kishida said he plans to convey “what Japan and the United States want to hand down to future generations and what we need to do for them.”

Anthony Albanese, James Marape to walk Kokoda Track in symbolic Anzac Day visit, as Chinese foreign minister prepares for PNG trip

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will mark Anzac Day on the Kokoda Track in a highly symbolic visit designed to highlight the shared World War II legacy and growing security relationship between both countries.

It is understood Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape is likely to join Mr Albanese for at least parts of the walk.

The visit will likely involve a multi-day trek along a section of the Kokoda Track.

Each year, many Australians make the trip to PNG to walk the track and honour the sacrifice of those who fought in World War II.

A dawn service is also held in Isurava, a small town along the track.

The visit comes just a few months after Mr Marape delivered a historic address to Australia's parliament, and as both countries work to carry out a sweeping security agreement signed late last year.

Mr Albanese's visit could also coincide with a trip to Port Moresby by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is expected to travel to PNG's capital shortly before him.

It is expected that while in Port Moresby, Mr Yi will have a bilateral meeting with his PNG counterpart, Justin Tkatchenko, and will also meet with Mr Marape.

It is not yet clear whether China's foreign minister will visit other Pacific nations, but Australian and US officials are monitoring his trip closely.

The timing of the trip is particularly sensitive because PNG's neighbour Solomon Islands will go to the polls the week before, and MPs will be beginning negotiations to form a new government while the foreign minister is in the region.

Beijing also remains intent on bedding down policing agreements with Pacific Island nations — most recently offering to assist Tonga with security for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in August.

The federal opposition says the development is deeply concerning, but PIF Secretary-General Henry Puna played down concerns while visiting Tonga this week, saying it was "not really an issue."

"Let's not be alarmed by outsiders, to change our thinking and to be involved in these geopolitical games," he said.

A pivotal campaign

The Kokoda Track campaign is considered an extraordinarily important period of World War II in Australian military history.

From July 1942, Australian and Papuan infantry battalions fought Japanese soldiers who were advancing toward Port Moresby.

Australian troops were forced to withdraw along the track before a counteroffensive.

More than 600 Australians were killed along the track, with more than 1,600 wounded and 4,000 dying from sickness.

In PNG's capital of Port Moresby, the Bomana War Cemetery contains more than 3,800 Commonwealth burials from World War II.

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