Kishida សម្លឹង​មើល​ដំណើរ​ទស្សនកិច្ច​របស់​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ក្នុង​ខែ​មករា​សម្រាប់​ការ​ចរចា​ផ្នែក​ការពារ​ជាតិ​ជាមួយ​លោក Biden

 Japan's counterstrike capability, increased spending to be discussed

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets with U.S. President Joe Biden in Cambodia in November. (Photo courtesy of Japan's Cabinet Office)

TOKYO -- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida intends to visit the U.S. as soon as next month to discuss Japan's plans for a defense buildup with President Joe Biden, Nikkei has learned.

A meeting in the U.S. would be the first between the two leaders since November, when they met in Cambodia on the sidelines of a regional conference.

Kishida's push for more robust Japanese defense capabilities will top the agenda. His cabinet just approved updates to three policy documents that label China as an "unprecedented strategic challenge," and call for big investments in missiles.

Kishida and Biden are expected to hold a joint news conference after their talks at the White House, people familiar with the matter said. The visit would likely take place before Japan's parliament is expected to convene in late January, the people said.

Kishida is expected to brief Biden on the defense policy review, which includes a goal of increasing defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product in fiscal 2027.

"We will hold close consultations at all levels between Japan and the U.S. based on the three documents," Kishida told reporters Friday after his cabinet approved new versions of the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Program Guidelines and the Medium Term Defense Program.

Another goal is counterstrike capability, the ability to hit distant targets that threaten Japan.

In its postwar security alliance with the U.S., pacifist Japan has been described as holding the shield of defense while the Americans wield the sword. Kishida's policy shift will see Japan gain the ability for long-rage strikes meant a deterrent.

"We will further promote Japan-U.S. defense cooperation and further strengthen the alliance's deterrent and response capabilities," Kishida said.

Biden said in a tweet that "the United States stands with Japan at this critical moment."

"Our alliance is the cornerstone of a free and open Indo-Pacific and we welcome Japan's contributions to peace and prosperity," the U.S. president said.

The proposed Kishida-Biden meeting also meant to lay the groundwork for the Group of Seven summit that Japan will host in Hiroshima in May. Kishida intends to visit G-7 nations before the Hiroshima meeting.

Nikkei Asia