U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida touted increased joint military cooperation and a new missile defense system, strengthening their alliance with an eye on aggressive actions by China and Russia.

Washington

U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced an enhancement in joint military cooperation alongside the introduction of a new missile defense system. Their actions are aimed at reinforcing their alliance primarily due to concerns over the assertive movements by China and Russia in the region. The commitment between these nations highlights a unified front to address and manage the perceived threats and aggressive stance by these countries.



Biden, Japan's Kishida pledge united front versus China

Well, Fumio, welcome back to the White House. Welcome back to the Oval Office. It's good to have you here. U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to the White House on Wednesday, as the two seek to showcase a strong and growing partnership focused on joint defense cooperation, including a new missile defense system. Together, our countries are taking significant steps to strengthen defense security cooperation. We're modernizing command and control structures, and we're increasing the interoperability and planning of our militaries so they can work together in a seamless and effective way. The two leaders have their eye on China and Russia and were specifically asked about China during a joint news conference. On challenges concerning China, including the point you raised on objecting to unilateral attempts to change status quo by force or coercion, we concurred that Japan and the United States as global partners shall work in close coordination. The U.S. and Japan, along with Australia and the Philippines, held joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea Sunday, ahead of this summit. That's an area Beijing claims, but international law says, belongs to the Philippines. The leader of the Philippines is coming to Washington later this week to meet with Biden and Kishida. The trans-Pacific diplomacy comes at a moment of tension with China, which continues to assert claims over the self-governing island of Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping told former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou Wednesday that outside interference could not stop the family reunion between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

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Baja California

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Wenchang

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London

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Ankara

Turkey to stop trade with Israel until Gaza ceasefire

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Paris

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Arizona

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New York

More than 1,000 student protesters arrested across U.S.

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Zaporizhzhia

Ukraine Invasion

U.S. accuses Russia of using chemical weapons in Ukraine

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Council of the City of Sydney

Grave fears for brothers missing on Mexico surf trip

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Hainault

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Canberra

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Buenos Aires

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Odesa

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Edinburgh

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Lake Macquarie

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Kharkiv

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