VP Harris Leads US Delegation to Japan for Slain Leader Abe’s Funeral – The Diplomat

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on Monday shortly after arriving in Tokyo for the state funeral of assassinated former chief Abe Shinzo.

Abe, a former prime minister who was assassinated in July, will likely be honored on Tuesday, and Harris is main a U.S. delegation to pay its respects.

“The alliance between Japan and the USA is a cornerstone of what we consider is integral to peace, stability, and prosperity within the Indo-Pacific area,” she mentioned on the Akasaka Palace.

Kishida mentioned Abe “poured his coronary heart and soul” into strengthening ties between their two nations.

“I really feel it’s my obligation to hold on his aspirations,” Kishida mentioned.

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Abe cast nearer ties with the USA at a time of elevated concern about China’s ambitions, and Kishida is continuous his push for a stronger nationwide protection.

The potential for warfare over Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as a part of its personal territory, has troubled Japan, which might probably be pulled into such a battle.

President Joe Biden mentioned just lately that the USA would ship its personal troops to defend Taiwan if China attacked.

“The president has addressed that difficulty. And if it comes up, the vice chairman will align with the president,” mentioned a senior administration official, who requested anonymity to debate a non-public assembly.

The official additionally mentioned Harris would “clarify our ironclad dedication to Japan’s safety.” Greater than 50,000 U.S. troops are primarily based there.

Harris, who’s scheduled to spend three nights in Tokyo, is visiting at a politically fraught second. Kishida’s resolution to carry a state funeral for Abe, a conservative nationalist, has been controversial in a rustic the place such memorials are unusual, and a few oppose honoring him on this manner.

Kishida can also be pushing for a dramatic growth of protection spending that might give Japan the world’s third-largest navy funds within the coming years, after the USA and China. A brand new nationwide safety technique, the primary in virtually a decade, is within the works as effectively.

The controversy is taking part in out as Japan reevaluates the chance of warfare after the shock of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, mentioned Christopher Johnstone, senior adviser and Japan chair on the Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research.

The combating in Europe is a reminder that “battle actually is feasible,” he mentioned, and “Japan lives in a reasonably tough neighborhood.”

Japan is upgrading missiles and contemplating utilizing them for preemptive strikes — a transfer critics say would essentially change the nation’s protection coverage and breach the postwar pacifist structure that limits use of drive to self-defense.

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It has additionally shifted its protection from the northeast to southwestern Japan, together with Okinawa and different distant islands.