President Biden congratulated Fumio Kishida on his elevation to prime minister of Japan after a parliamentary vote Monday put him in charge of the world’s third-largest economy.
Mr. Biden said the U.S.-Japan alliance is the “cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity” in the Indo-Pacific region that is of increasing importance in the face of a rising China.
“The historic partnership between our two democracies and our two peoples will continue to be a critical asset as we work together to take on the challenges of our time,” Mr. Biden said.
Mr. Biden also congratulated Yoshihide Suga on a “successful tenure.”
The U.S. president hosted Mr. Suga at the White House in April, his first in-person meeting with a foreign leader of his term.
Mr. Kishida served as foreign minister from 2012 to 2017 under Shinzo Abe, who was Mr. Suga’s predecessor and Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.
SEE ALSO: Japan’s Parliament elects former diplomat Kishida as new PM
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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