Japan PM Kishida Treats Visiting Biden to Dinner

Tokyo, May 24 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held an informal dinner party for visiting U.S. President Joe Biden at the Happo-en event venue in Tokyo on Monday night.

Kishida and his wife, Yuko, together welcomed Biden at Happo-en, known for its Japanese garden and luxurious restaurant. Yuko, clad in kimono, made green tea for Biden.

The dinner was also attended by Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

Through the dinner, Kishida tried to establish a personal relationship of trust with Biden. Participants are believed to have discussed economic cooperation between the two countries.

The menu included salmon meuniere using fish from the Shinshu central Japan region, Tokyo chicken grilled on a hot plate and gelato delivered from Natori, Miyagi Prefecture, which Biden visited as vice president after the northeastern city was hit by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]