Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden have first in-person meeting, agree to enhance ties

Kishida and Biden agreed to cooperate toward a free and open Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region

He also met British PM Boris Johnson, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh at the UN climate summit in Glasgow

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a speech at the leaders' session of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland. He also met world leaders on the sidelines. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 12:45pm, 3 Nov 2021Updated: 8:02pm, 3 Nov 2021

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden held their first in-person talks on Tuesday, agreeing to enhance the bilateral alliance and closely cooperate toward a free and open Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region.

Kishida also met his counterparts from Britain, Australia and Vietnam on the sidelines of the UN climate summit in Glasgow. Tokyo views these countries as key partners in advancing a free and open region, and agreed to forge closer ties with them.

The flurry of diplomatic activity took place during Kishida’s brief first foreign trip as the Japanese leader. He departed following Sunday’s general election in which his governing coalition won a comfortable majority in the House of Representatives.

After arriving in the Scottish city of Glasgow earlier on Tuesday, Kishida had a brief conversation with Biden, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The two agreed to continue to jointly deal with climate change issues as well as regional issues, apparently mindful of the challenges and threats posed by China as well as North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

Kishida told reporters later in the day he agreed with Biden to meet again at the earliest date possible, which could be later this year, to have more “thorough” discussions.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is seen at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo: Reuters