U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko to the White House on April 9th. Kishida, who was visiting the United States as a state guest of honor, presented Biden with a variety of gifts, including a set of Wajima-nuri coffee cups and a ballpoint pen. Wajima-nuri is a traditional craft of Ishikawa Prefecture, which was devastated by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and tsunami in January. Kishida explained to Biden that young craftsmen affected by the disaster had created the lacquerware especially for this occasion.
Other gifts included Okinawan coffee beans and character memorabilia such as stuffed toys and cups from Nintendo's popular "Super Mario" video game. Yuko presented Jill Biden with a copper accessory made in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, another traditional craft from the Hokuriku region.
Following the gift exchange, the Kishidas and the Bidens rode together in the presidential limousine known as "The Beast" on their way from the White House to a restaurant in Washington, D.C., for dinner together.