Readout of President Joe Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. today met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In the meeting, President Biden reinforced the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of Japan following recent destabilizing ballistic missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the long-range ballistic missile launch over Japan on October 3. The two leaders condemned these provocative acts and as well as the DPRK's continued development of its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. They reiterated their resolve to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and to continue to impose costs on Russia for its unprovoked war on Ukraine. President Biden thanked Prime Minister Kishida for his powerful voice against the threat of use of nuclear weapons, noting that the Prime Minister's declaration that "any use of a nuclear weapon would be an act of hostility against humanity" has resonated around the world.

Standing together for peace, stability and prosperity in the face of historic challenges, the two leaders resolved to further strengthen and modernize the U.S.-Japan Alliance to address threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific. President Biden applauded Prime Minister Kishida's determination to substantially increase investments in defense capabilities. They emphasized the importance of defending the rules-based economic order in the face of threats including economic coercion, predatory debt and supply chain uncertainties and resolved to address these issues together, including through advancing our negotiations in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

President Biden assured the Prime Minister that Japan has the full support of the United States to ensure the success of Japan's multilateral leadership roles in 2023, including as a member of the United Nations Security Council and as host of the G7. The President looked forward to visiting the Prime Minister's home town of Hiroshima in May for the G7 Leaders' Summit.