Biden and Japanese prime minister announce joint initiatives

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in the United States this week as part of an official visit. In a joint statement on Wednesday, President Joe Biden and Kishida announced a series of endeavors to strengthen cooperation between their countries. They include a plan for the United States and Japan to join Australia to expand a networked air defense system to protect against missiles and other air-based threats. Regular trilateral defense activities between the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom are set to begin in 2025. The United States has also pledged to accept two Japanese astronauts as crew members on future Artemis lunar missions. Biden and Kishida are scheduled to meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday.

Did Kishida say anything about Ukraine? Kishida condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pledged to enforce sanctions against Russia.

Dig deeper:  Listen to Nick Eicher and David Bahnsen discuss Japan’s troubled economy on The WORLD and Everything in It podcast.