The United States and Japan strengthen defense cooperation with an eye on China

The American president, Joe Bidenannounced on Wednesday the biggest reinforcement of cooperation with Japan in the area of ​​Defense since the end of the Cold War, during a state visit by the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishidakeeping an eye on ambitions China In the Pacific.

Biden also announced the creation of a joint air defense system with Japan It is Australia.

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“Together, our countries are taking important steps to strengthen defense and security cooperation“, declared the American president during a press conference at the White House with Kishida.

“This is the most important progress in our alliances since the end of the Cold War”, he added, referring to modernization “of command and control structures (…) interoperability and planning“of their respective”armies so they can work together transparently and effectively”.

“I am also pleased to announce that, for the first time, Japan, U.S and Australia will create air missile network and defense architecture” he added.

Biden reaffirmed, however, that the military alliance with Japan reinforced during the visit is “purely defensive nature”.

US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a joint press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on April 10, 2024 (Photo EFE/EPA /YURI GRIPAS) (YURI GRIPAS / POOL /)

The Japanese Prime Minister asked “peace and stability“Amid tensions between China It is Taiwanbut also pointed out Russia for your invasion Ukraine.

“Ukraine today, maybe East Asia tomorrow“, he said.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has stated that it intends to regain control of it, even by force. Beijing It sends planes and warships across the autonomous island almost daily.

In yet another sign of closeness with Tokyo, Biden said this Wednesday that the first non-American astronaut to land on the Moon will be Japanese, as part of a space mission by the North American power.

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Cherry trees, Paul Simon and trilateral summit

Kishida is the first Japanese leader to receive the full honors of an American president since Shinzo Abein 2015.

At a reception ceremony on Wednesday morning, Biden said ties with Japan are “unbreakable”.

In 1912, the mayor of Tokyo presented the city with washington thousands of cherry trees, whose flowering season attracts numerous tourists to the American capital every year.

Kishida said Japan will donate another 250 trees for the 280th anniversary of the founding of the U.S in 2026.

“For our alliance, for our friendship,” Biden offered, while Kishida quoted a few lines from the cult American television series Star Trek, whose title sequence referred to space as “final frontier” and described a mission to “Boldly go where no man has gone before”.

“I would like to toast our journey toward the frontier of the U.S.-Japan relationship with these words: Go boldly!Kishida said, also highlighting the star’s Japanese heritage George Takei.

On Wednesday night a state dinner was held in the grand East Room from Casa Branca, with a Japanese-inspired menu that included salmon, ribs with wasabi sauce and pistachio cake.

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The day was scheduled to end with a concert by the famous North American musician Paulo Simão.

On Thursday, Biden will host the first trilateral summit between Japan, the Philippines and the United States to continue expanding alliances against China in a critical region with several episodes of shows of force.

Tokyo, pacifist for decades, in recent years has “some of the most significant and transcendental changes” since Second World Warsaid the American ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuelbefore the visit.

Source: Elcomercio