On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will address Congress after his government reinforced its security partnership with the U.S. and before a trilateral leaders' conference with the U.S. and Philippines.
Japan's prime minister will address Congress for the second time at 11 a.m. ET. After Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2015, Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed parliament in July 2023.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement that congressional leaders invited Kishida to speak to both houses in early March to set "the foundation for collaboration in the years to come."
"Japan is a close ally — critical to our national and economic security," said Schumer. "This visit will strengthen our diplomatic and security relationship and build on decades of cooperation."
The visit is important since Republicans, especially House Republicans, oppose aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. Before inviting Kishida to speak to Congress, the Republican and Democratic leaders on the House Foreign Affairs Committee wrote to Johnson that it would "signal congressional support for this critical alliance and help Members of Congress understand its importance to the economic and strategic interests of the United States."
Kishida will meet with President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House for the first U.S.-Japan-Philippines trilateral summit in the late afternoon.
Biden and Kishida announced Wednesday plans to enhance the U.S. military command structure in Japan, which has 54,000 people. The two nations will also form a military-industrial council to discuss collaborative weapons production.
Later that night, former President Bill Clinton, first lady Hillary Clinton, Jeff Bezos, and Tim Cook attended Japan's leader's state dinner at the White House.
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