Japan and the United States to Strengthen Cooperation in Advanced Technology
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden are set to meet in Washington on April 10, 2023, to discuss strengthening cooperation in advanced technology. The two leaders are expected to issue a joint statement outlining their commitment to working more closely together in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and bio-research.
The joint statement will also emphasize the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and criticize Chinese actions in the East and South China seas as being contradictory to international law.
In addition to advanced technology, the two leaders will also discuss cooperation in the energy and climate change fields, with a particular focus on offshore wind power generation. Japan will participate in technological development projects led by the U.S. Energy Department, and the two sides will work on reducing costs to promote the spread of new energy sources.
Defense cooperation will also be on the agenda, with the two leaders expected to agree to strengthen command and control coordination between the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military. They will also discuss the feasibility of allowing Japanese companies to handle major repair work for ships in the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet.
Following his meeting with President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida will visit an area in North Carolina where Toyota Motor Corp. is planning to construct a fuel cell factory for electric vehicles. This visit is intended to demonstrate Japan's eagerness to create jobs in the United States.
The Kishida administration is seeking to strengthen its ties with the current Biden administration, but it also wants to prepare for the possibility of former President Donald Trump returning to office in the November election.