Prime Minister of Japan Suga Yoshihide is in Washington D.C. today for a visit with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Oddly, Harris hosted Suga before Biden, who will meet with him this afternoon and hold a press conference.
"It is now my great pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister of Japan and to thank him for this visit, which is the first visit to the United States of a world leader since we came in office," Harris said. "The President and I are very excited about the conversations we will have with the Prime Minister today. As you know, Mr. Prime Minister, you and I met just about a month ago, during the Quad summit, which was a meeting with the United States, with our allies -- Japan, with Australia, and with India -- where we had extensive conversations about a collaboration and a friendship around some of the biggest challenges facing our world."
"I also look forward to our conversations about our mutual commitment to the Indo-Pacific and the work that our nations will do together to continue with peace and prosperity in that region of the world," she continued. "And it is also a personal point of privilege for me to spend this time with you. As you know, I come from California, where we have a very strong and vibrant Japanese American community who has made great contributions, obviously, to not only the state, but to the country. And it is a community which I have -- with which I have worked and lived for my entire life. And so I welcome you. So welcome, and thank you."
Where the hell is Joe Biden? https://t.co/5fLu8uT3w1
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) April 16, 2021
Vice President Kamala Harris talks with Prime Minister of Japan H.E. Suga Yoshihide on the balcony of her office overlooking the West Wing. @VP pic.twitter.com/1Rja24LtHb
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) April 16, 2021
Why is Kamala Harris welcoming the head of state for Japan instead of Joe Biden?
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) April 16, 2021
???
— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) April 16, 2021
shouldn't Biden be the one to welcome Japan's prime minister? pic.twitter.com/SG6W8K6jFS
According to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Biden will speak with Suga about a variety of issues.
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