Japan to Seek to Forge Ties with Biden Administration in 2021

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)--Japan is expected to seek to forge a solid relationship with the incoming U.S. administration after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20, as its first important diplomatic task for 2021.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hopes to hold a summit with Biden as early as February to confirm their intention to bolster the Japan-U.S. alliance, government sources said.

With China increasing its presence in the economic and military fields, Japan also aims to beef up cooperation with relevant nations under the free and open Indo-Pacific initiative, the sources said.

As chair of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade framework, Japan hopes to put an end to inward-oriented moves by countries around the world and rebuild the free trade and economic systems that were thrown into turmoil by the U.S.-China trade conflict.

“The Japan-U.S. alliance is the foundation of Japan’s foreign policy,” Suga said in a speech delivered in late 2020, adding that he hopes to hold talks with Biden as soon as possible.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]