Fumio Kishida, Japan’s new prime minister, made his first calls with heads of the United States and Australia on Oct. 5. Experts say he will continue a pro-U.S. and anti-China approach during his tenure. Kishida had a roughly 20-minute conversation with President Joe Biden, the first with a foreign leader since taking office one day before. “We confirmed that we would work together toward the strengthening of the Japan-U.S. alliance and free and open Indo-Pacific,” Kishida told reporters. “We also confirmed we would work closely on issues related to China and North Korea.” He said Biden reaffirmed U.S. commitment to defending Japan, including Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan security treaty, which provided defense obligations to the Asian nation. The article applies to the Senkaku Islands, which China also claims, calling them the Diaoyu Islands. On Oct. 4, Biden sent Kishida a congratulatory message, on his election by parliament, calling the U.S.-Japan Alliance the …
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