VP Harris takes on diplomatic role, welcomes Japanese leader to State Department

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday praised Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as a key economic partner and defender of “rules and norms” in the Indo-Pacific.

Ms. Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken feted the Japanese leader at a State Department luncheon before both nations’ officials sat down with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to plot ways to deter China’s aggression against Taiwan.

“Under your leadership, Japan’s global role has grown immensely,” Ms. Harris told Mr. Kishida.

The vice president hailed Japan’s efforts to improve relations with South Korea and praised its investment, alongside the U.S., in the semiconductor sector. She also shared laughs with Mr. Kishida over their love of baseball and said Japan made an imprint on her home state.

“As a proud daughter of California, I grew up surrounded by Japanese-American culture and history,” Ms. Harris said.

She struggled with a lengthy to-do list from President Biden early in their term, namely on voting rights and border security, and has tried to find her footing by focusing on abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She is crisscrossing the country to discuss abortion rights, calling it a fundamental freedom for women that’s being stripped away in states with limits on the procedure.

Mr. Kishida’s visit gave Ms. Harris the chance to take on a diplomatic role in a campaign year. Mr. Biden is 81 years old, making him the oldest sitting president and increasing the focus on Ms. Harris, 59.

Before a ceremonial toast, Ms. Harris hailed Japan as “a dear, close friend of the United States.”

Earlier Thursday, Mr. Kishida said not to doubt America’s role as a global leader.

“The leadership of the United States is indispensable. Without U.S. support, how long before the hopes of Ukraine would collapse under the onslaught from Moscow?” he told a joint session of Congress co-chaired by Ms. Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson. “Without the presence of the United States, how long before the Indo-Pacific would face even harsher realities?”