Japan’s PM Kishida vows deeper alliance with US on defense

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has pledged to deepen his country’s alliance with the United States under Japan’s new defense policy that breaks from its exclusively self-defense-only stance in the face of growing regional tensions. Kishida, speaking in a news conference Wednesday, said he will visit Washington for talks with President Joe Biden to underscore the strength of the Japan-U.S. alliance and highlight closer cooperation between the nations under Japan’s new security and defense strategies adopted last month. Japan is purchasing hundreds of U.S.-developed Tomahawks and other long-range cruise missiles to preempt possible attacks, and boosting defenses in southwestern Japan amid growing worries of a Taiwan emergency.