PM Kishida mistakenly says China is Japan’s ‘ally’ during Biden summit in US

Kishida, who became Japan’s first political leader to visit the US as a state guest in nine years, quickly corrected his remark at a press conference
Biden also honoured the prime minister with a state dinner attended by Japanese and American celebrities

Japan

Kyodo

Published: 10:18am, 11 Apr 2024

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Prime Minister Fumio Kishida erroneously referred on Wednesday to China as Japan’s “ally” at a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden in Washington, although he quickly corrected himself.

Responding to a question about diplomacy towards China, Kishida said in Japanese, “China is our ally,” but shortly afterward added, “Excuse me, based on a strong relationship of trust with our ally, the United States, we will urge China to fulfil its responsibilities as a major power.”

Kishida raised his right hand as he corrected his remark at the news conference following summit talks with Biden. The prime minister became Japan’s first political leader to visit the US as a state guest in nine years.

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Japanese celebrities such as popular pop duo Yoasobi and retired wheelchair tennis great Shingo Kunieda were among the guests at a state dinner on Wednesday hosted by Biden and his wife Jill for Kishida, the White House said.

From the US side, former president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, a former secretary of state, along with movie star Robert De Niro and other celebrities attended the event.

Yoasobi has become popular among young people in Japan with its song “Idol” becoming a smash hit recently. Kunieda, a winner of 28 grand slam titles and three Paralympic gold medals in the men’s singles, received the People’s Honour Award from Kishida last year.

Lilas Ikuta, vocalist of the Japanese pop duo Yoasobi, arrives for a state dinner in honour of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 10. Photo: AFP

Japanese business leaders, including Masayoshi Son, CEO of investment and tech giant SoftBank Group Corp., and Hiroshi Mikitani, chairman of e-commerce giant Rakuten Group Inc., were also invited, with Kishida aiming to boost economic ties with the US.

Earlier Wednesday, Kishida and Biden agreed at their summit to bolster their security alliance with China’s increasing military and economic assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region in mind, vowing to work together to strengthen supply chains of key products.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plants a “someiyoshino” cherry tree at the national Japanese-American memorial in Washington on April 9. Photo: Kyodo

After the meeting, Kishida took part in a ceremony to commemorate Japan’s gift to the US of 250 cherry trees, which will be planted around the Tidal Basin in Washington, the foreign ministry said.

In 1912, 3,000 cherry trees were sent to Washington by then Tokyo mayor Yukio Ozaki. The growing number of cherry trees planted around the Tidal Basin along the Potomac River has become a symbol of friendship between Japan and the US.