'Committed to working together': Biden and Suga agree to strengthen US-Japan alliance

In a phone call, US President Joe Biden and Japan PM Yoshihide Suga have agreed to strengthen their bilateral alliance in a bid to counter growing Chinese military activity in the Asia-Pacific region. In a press release, the White House said that the two leaders affirmed the importance of the US-Japan alliance “as the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific”. Biden also vowed to defend the Senkakus, a group of islands in the East China Sea administered by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing. 

Biden has reaffirmed the US’ commitment to providing “extended deterrence” to Japan, a reference to the US nuclear umbrella covering Japan. Biden and Suga also affirmed the necessity of complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Following the phone call, Suga said that they both managed to have “substantial exchanges”. While speaking to local Japanese media outlets, Suga added that the agreed-to strengthen alliance firmly by having more phone calls like this.

The two leaders also agreed to arrange a US visit for the Japanese PM as early as possible. The Japanese PM has also said that he hopes to “deepen” his personal relationship with President Biden. The Japanese media outlets even reported that the two leaders have agreed to call each other Joe and Yoshi.

READ: Biden: 'Now Is The Time To Act' On Racial Justice

READ: Judge Bars Biden From Enforcing 100-day Deportation Ban

Biden vows to rebuild relations with allies 

Meanwhile, ties between Washington and its two key Northeast Asian allies were bruised under former US President Donald Trump. The former administration had publicly mulled withdrawing troops from Japan and South Korea. Trump had also complained that Tokyo and Seoul were not paying enough towards their own security and called on them to buy more US-made defence equipment. However, the newly minted US President has said that rebuilding relations with allies will be a key priority. 

Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken had even told the Philippine foreign minister that the US rejected China’s Maritime claims in the South China Sea beyond what is permitted under international law. Blinken said that the US stood with the Philippines and other south-east Asian countries resisting pressure from Beijing, which has laid claim to wide areas of the South China Sea. 

READ: Biden Replaces WH Doctor, Models Virus Safety Tips

READ: Virus Aid Package Tests Whether Joe Biden, Congress Can Deliver