There is reported to be anxiety among Japan’s senior leadership because Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been unable to arrange a face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.
That failure may rankle, but it must not be allowed to overshadow the far more substantive signs of health and vigor in the Japan-U.S. relationship. There is much more to celebrate in our partnership than there is to complain about. The Kishida administration will be better served by concentrating on and building upon those positive developments.
Traditionally, a Japanese prime minister visits Washington D.C. early in his tenure to reaffirm the solidity of the partnership and show the Japanese public that he can manage the country’s most important bilateral relationship. Since taking office, the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of events have kept Kishida from making that trip. The July Upper House election and the U.S. midterm elections in November will preoccupy both leaders and threaten to further delay any visit.