President Joe Biden is set to host the leaders of Japan and the Philippines later this week, and strengthening their defense cooperation will be a leading theme of their conversations.
Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife for a state dinner on Wednesday, and the two leaders will meet with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday for the first trilateral United States-Japan-Philippines leader summit.
“The visit will underscore the enduring strength of our alliance, the unwavering U.S. commitment to Japan, and Japan’s increasing global leadership role,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last week.
“The current security environment is tough and complex, and we are at a turning point in history,” Kishida said ahead of the visit, according to the Japan Times. “Cooperation between
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