Biden reveals plans for May trip to Japan for Quad summit
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If the Quad summit is realised, it would be President Joe Biden's first visit to Japan since his inauguration.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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WASHINGTON (YOMIURI SHIMBUN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS) - US President Joe Biden revealed plans for a possible in-person Quad summit in Japan in May during a virtual meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (April 11).
If the summit with the leaders of Japan, Australia, India and the United States is realised, it would be Biden's first visit to Japan since his inauguration as president.
"I'm looking forward to seeing you in Japan, about the 24th of May," Biden said to Modi during their talks.
At a news briefing after the meeting, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said she could not disclose details.
According to Japanese and US diplomatic sources, Tokyo and Washington want the Quad leaders to meet in Tokyo on May 24, but the schedule may need to be adjusted as Australia is holding a general election on May 21.
The first Quad meeting was held in September last year in Washington. The planned May meeting would be the second.
The Japanese government will meanwhile work towards realising a meeting between Biden and families of those abducted by North Korea during his planned Japan visit, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Wednesday.
Previously, family members of those abducted by North Korea decades ago met with former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
While in Asia, Biden is also mulling a visit to South Korea, where President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is scheduled to take office on May 10. The new administration wants to promote stronger trilateral ties with Japan and the United States, regarding China and North Korea.
