In-Town Pool Reports of April 16, 2021

WH pool report #1: checking in

Good morning! It's a brisk morning here at the White House. I'm Ryan Brooks, your covid-tested pool reporter for an eventful day here with the Prime Minister of Japan.

The schedule so far:

10:30 press briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team (live streamed at whitehouse.gov/live)

11:00 AM Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki

2:30 The President hosts H.E. Suga Yoshidife, Prime Minister of Japan for an expanded bilateral meeting

4:15 the president participates in a press conference with H.E. Suga Yoshihide

5:30 The President departs the White House en route to Wilmington, Delaware

Please feel free to reach out with any questions that come up: ryan.brooks@buzzfeed.com

In-town pool report #2: two minute warning press briefing

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-town pool report #2B

Press briefing began at 11:07. Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that President Biden was tested for COVID-19 this morning and covid was not detected.

In-town pool report #3 Lunch lid until 2pm

Lunch lid has been called until 2pm.

Here's what's happening soon: President Biden will host PM Suga in the Oval Office at 1:30pm for an official working event that's closed to the press. The meeting is the first in-person bilateral meeting with a foreign leader under the Biden admin.

They'll move to the State Dining Room for an expanded bilateral meeting at 2:30 with a pool spray at the top.

as always if you have any questions let me know: ryan.brooks@buzzfeed.com

In-town pool report #4- misspelled name correction

Correcting the spelling of PM Yoshihde Suga's name. An earlier report I sent out contained a typo.

In-town pool report #5- PM Suga Arrival and bilateral meeting attendees

Your pooler watched PM Suga arrive at the West Wing at 1:32pm.

The White House told the pool the Official Working Visit began at 1:50pm and passed along the names of the expanded bilateral meeting participants:

United States

The President

1. T.H. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State

2. T.H. Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury

3. T.H. Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense

4. T.H. Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce

5. T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

6. T.H. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, National Security Council

7. T.H. Edgard Kagan, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania, National Security Council

8. T.H. Melanie Nakagawa, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Climate and Energy, National Security Council

Japan

His Excellency SUGA Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan

1. Mr. SAKAI Manabu, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary

2. Mr. ADACHI Masashi, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister

3. Mr. KITAMURA Shigeru, Secretary General of the National Security Secretariat

4. His Excellency TOMITA Koji, Ambassador of Japan to the United States

5. Mr. IZUMI Hiroto, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister

6. Mr. MORI Takeo, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

7. Mr. SUZUKI Hiroshi, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

8. Mr. ICHIKAWA Keiichi, Director General for North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In-town pool #6

The pool entered the State Dining Room through the Red Room at 3:08. President Biden and PM Suga sat across from each other at a long wooden table running the length of the room.

"This is the first foreign leader to visit me in my presidency," said Biden, sitting in front of the flags of the United States and Japan. "We are two important democracies in the Pacific region." The leaders exchanged brief pleasantries before the pool was lead out of the room at 3:12pm.

The president did not respond to shouted questions from the pool as we were escorted out.

Fuller quote from Biden tk.

In-town pool #6A- fuller Biden remarks from bilateral meeting

President Biden added that the United States and Japan's cooperation barters on "meeting the challenges facing our nations and ensuring the future of the region remains free and open."

"I'm looking forward to speaking with the Prime Minister and our teams are tackling a shared agenda," Biden added.

What's next:

Pool is set to gather at 3:55 to head over to President Biden's joint press conference with PM Suga in the Rose Garden at 4:15pm.

Feel free to reach out with any questions: ryan.brooks@buzzfeed.com

In-town pool report #7

Pool is still holding to head over to the Rose Garden. I’ll send another quick note when we’re otw.

In-town pool report #7A two minute warning for joint press conference

Restricted pool has been seated in a sunny spot in the Rose Garden with a two minute warning ahead of the joint press conference.

In-town report #8

Biden began speaking at 5:04 from a presidential lectern in the Rose Garden. He said the Prime Minister brought out the sun.

The president announced that the United States and Japan are forming a new partnership named CORE. Immediate agenda includes combating the pandemic and ensuring the Indo-Pacific can recover among other things.

"Our nation's are committed to combating climate change," biden says adding that PM Suga has agreed to attend a meeting of global leaders to address climate change.

"Thank you for making the trip," Biden says.

Full quotes tk.

in-town pool report #8A

President Biden and PM Suga wrapped up the joint press conference at 5:33 pm. Pool was escorted out shortly after.

In-town pool report #9

Pool has arrived at The Ellipse ahead President Biden’s departure en route to Wilmington, Delaware. Two helicopters have landed on the lawn with the Washington Monument and the National Museum of African American History and Culture peaking above the trees in the background.

In-town pool report #9B

President Biden boarded Marine One and is en route to Delaware. He did not stop to take questions from the press.