Japan, US plan January meeting of foreign and defense chiefs

Arrangements are being made to hold a meeting of the Japan-US Security Advisory Committee of Foreign and Defense Chiefs of the two nations, also known as 2 plus 2, in Washington DC in mid-January, a- we learned.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is due to meet US President Joe Biden at the White House on January 13, and the 2-plus-2 meeting is likely to be held around this time.

The simultaneous visits of Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada will be an opportunity to promote a deeper bilateral alliance both at home and abroad.

The main topic of the 2-plus-2 meeting is expected to be the respective roles of the Self-Defense Forces and the US military in accordance with Japan’s national security strategy review and other plans.

Kishida visiting Canada

Kishida also plans to visit Canada before his trip to the United States, several government officials said. He also intends to visit Europe.

In light of Japan taking over the chairmanship of the Group of Seven next year, Kishida is seeking cooperation from other member countries through a series of diplomatic visits. He is due to travel to France, Italy and the United Kingdom from January 8, before traveling to Canada and then to the United States.