Japan's Kishida says he will attend NATO leaders' summit, stresses need for dialogue with China
Japan's prime minister says he plans to visit Lithuania in July to attend a NATO leaders’ summit as his country steps up cooperation with the Western organization
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday announced plans to visit Lithuania next month to attend a NATO leaders' summit as his country steps up cooperation with the Western organization amid China's increasingly assertive military activity.
Kishida stressed the importance of dialogue with China in order to develop “constructive and stable” relationship with Beijing while his country cooperates with its key ally, the United States. He said the state of U.S.-China relations are crucial to international peace and stability.
At a news conference marking the end of a five-month long parliamentary session, Kishida said reinforcing diplomatic and security measures were among his top policy priorities in the first half of this year. The goal he said, is “to raise Japan's presence in the international society, to defend the peace of our country and the people's lives.”
Japan has been strengthening ties with NATO against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and concerns that it may embolden China’s already assertive military activity in East Asia.
