U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip next week to Japan, South Korea and India — even amid the Israel-Hamas war and other global challenges — demonstrates that the United States remains "laser-focused" on the Indo-Pacific region, a senior diplomat said Thursday.
When he meets separately with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Blinken will discuss unfolding events in the Middle East and issues such as support for Ukraine, according to Daniel Kritenbrink, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia.
Blinken will visit Tokyo to attend a two-day meeting of the Group of Seven foreign ministers beginning Tuesday, after traveling to Israel and Jordan.