Biden, Kishida meet in Washington

A joint conference between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio begins today.

The conference bears great significance on the continued alliance between the two nations as they attempt to curtail China’s growing influence. The focus of their meeting will be on social, security, political, and economic issues with an emphasis on China, as recent US-Japan meetings have alluded to. This conference also follows recent exchanges between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. In response, Japan and the United States conducted a joint patrol alongside Australia to deter further Chinese attacks.

Japan’s willingness to contribute its military resources and deepening ties to the US indicate increasing concern over the threat China poses to the region.

In the short term, increased Japanese and US military presence within the South China Sea is likely, as both nations look to leverage additional support from allies to deter the Chinese Navy. In the medium-to-long term, should Chinese activities subside in the region, the focus may shift towards deepened economic and political ties between the US and Japan.