Japan, U.S. to launch Ministerial Talks on Economy, environmental issues

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Japan, U.S. to launch Ministerial Talks on Economy, environmental issues

Japan, U.S. to launch Ministerial Talks on Economy

Kyodo quoted government sources as saying that Japan and the United States of America have decided to hold regular talks on economic and environmental issues in an effort to boost bilateral cooperation.

The launch of the framework is expected to be agreed by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden when they hold a virtual summit later in the day, according to Japanese government sources.

The sources said that the four members of the new dialogue framework will be Japan's foreign and industry ministers and the U.S. state and commerce secretaries.

Japan and the United States are promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. The economy-focused two-plus-two framework will take up infrastructure investment, economic security, green energy, trade and other issues, the sources said.

Kishida, who took office in October, believes that national interests on the economic front is a priority. Japan and the United States have been working together to make supply chains more robust.

Kishida had hoped to hold in-person talks with Biden, but his surging COVID 19 cases forced him to give up on visiting the United States before the start of a parliamentary session in Japan earlier this month.

The leaders are expected to affirm the strength of the bilateral alliance during the virtual meeting, as Japan is attempting to bolster its defense capabilities.