New Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday signaled plans to cooperate with the United States to defend several disputed islets in the East China Sea as well as take a more assertive approach on China's aggression towards Taiwan.
During a press conference, Kishida revealed that he had been on a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden. In the 20-minute phone call, both world leaders discussed their commitment to defending the disputed Senkaku Islands located in the East China Sea.
Japan's New Prime Minister
"We confirmed that we would work together toward the strengthening of the Japan-US alliance and free and open Indo-Pacific. We also confirmed we would work closely on issues related to China and North Korea," Kishida said during the press conference, according to CNBC.
The new Japanese Prime Minister added that he and Biden agreed to support the defense of the Asian nation with regards to Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan security treaty.
Kishida's latest move signals that he is intent on continuing former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to boost security ties with the U.S. while preserving trade ties with China. He is also expected to deepen Japan's relationship with other powerhouse countries, including Australia and India.
During the press conference, Kishida also said that the Japanese government is considering its options for its plans to take a more assertive position on China's attempt at claiming Taiwan as its own territory. At one point, Beijing said it could claim the independent country by force if need be.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that Japan would, instead of simply monitoring the rising tensions between China and Taiwan, would take a more assertive approach on the issue. The official said the Japanese government hopes to weigh in on the various possible scenarios that could result from the confrontation between the two arguing nations, Yahoo News reported.
Lagging Poll Ratings
Despite his immediate responses on the international stage, Kishida is struggling to find his footing among Japanese voters. The incident comes only two days after he was seated as the country's prime minister and launched a new government.
The new prime minister's rating was somewhere from 45% to 49% at the lowest end while having 56% to 59% as more conservative reports. The amount of support shown for Kishida was much lower than that of his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga.
On Wednesday morning, Kishida said he was aware of the results of the poll for his ratings but noted that there were noticeably large gaps depending on the company that conducted the surveys. However, the new prime minister said he would use the results as a guide to better serve the country and win his people's trust and support.
Kishida said he would work to dissolve the lower house of parliament on Oct. 14 as a general election was scheduled on Oct. 31. The event would constitute major issues in Japan, including the coronavirus pandemic and recovery of the country's economy. While Kishida's poll results are low for a fresh administration, they are still higher than the lowest of his predecessor, Reuters reported.
Related Article:
