Japan, US to hold security talks before Kishida meets Biden

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan and the United States will hold security talks between their foreign and defense ministers in Washington the day before Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida lands in the U.S. capital next week. Kishida meets with President Joe Biden on Jan. 13 for a summit wrapping up his tour of Group of Seven nations as Tokyo expands its military and deepens its alliance with America. Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will fly to Washington to join their American counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken for talks on Wednesday. They are expected to focus on their new national security strategies and concerns including China, North Korea and Russia.