Suga soon to arrive in US for summit with Biden -NHK WORLD-JAPAN -3 hours ago
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is due to arrive in the United States soon for a summit with President Joe Biden.
A plane carrying Suga is scheduled to touch down at an air force base on the outskirts of Washington on Thursday night, local time.
Suga and Biden will talk at the White House on Friday, in the president's first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since taking office in January.
Suga hopes to use the meeting to deepen personal trust and underscore the strength of the Japan-US alliance.
The leaders will likely confirm they will boost the alliance and encourage close bilateral cooperation in areas such as national security, climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and digital technology.
They are expected to reaffirm their cooperation on realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific as China increases its maritime activity. They are also likely to confirm the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
What stance the leaders will take toward China on climate change will be under the spotlight. Suga has indicated that he will join forces with Biden to push China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, to take more action.
Japanese government officials are also arranging for Suga to hold phone talks with Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla during the prime minister's stay in the US. The officials hope the conversation will lead to a smooth supply of the company's coronavirus vaccine to Japan.
