WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a state visit on April 10, with the goal of strengthening a critical alliance as the United States has sought to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, told reporters aboard Air Force One that the visit will include a formal state dinner.
As president, Biden has visited Japan twice, most recently going to the city of Hiroshima last May for the among major industrialized nations. Kishida's visit comes as the federal government is reviewing the national security implications of Japan's the Pittsburgh-based company U.S. Steel for roughly $14.1 billion.
Kirby declined to say whether the government's review of that potential merger would be a subject at the state visit. He said that Biden and Kishida will likely discuss a range of issues in Asia, including how to improve cooperation with South Korea.
"I think you can expect to see a robust discussion about how we’re deepening our bilateral cooperation with Japan, improving our alliance capabilities across the board," Kirby said. “There will be a lot to discuss.”
