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It was “unfortunate” that President Joe Biden called Japan “xenophobic” at an event earlier this week, the Japanese embassy in Washington said Friday, in a mild criticism of Biden’s remarks, but that the two countries’ alliance is “unfortunate.” He said it was unlikely to have any impact.
The embassy said it understood the statement was not intended to damage relations with Japan. … [+]
important facts
The Japanese embassy said in a statement that it was “unfortunate” that some of Mr. “I explained the policy again,” he added. ”
At a campaign fundraiser on Wednesday, Biden called ally Japan a xenophobe and said Japan, along with China, Russia and India, is struggling economically due to restrictive immigration policies.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre clarified Biden’s comments Thursday, suggesting the president was “trying to say” the United States is a “nation of immigrants.”
The embassy said it “recognized” that Biden intended to emphasize how immigration strengthens the United States, and that his comments were “made with the intention of undermining the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship.” It’s not a thing,” he said.
The embassy said Biden’s comments would not affect Japan’s cooperation with the United States, noting that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit last month showed that “Japan-U.S. relations are stronger than ever.”
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important quotes
“Why has China stalled so much economically? Why is Japan in trouble? Why Russia? Why India?” Biden is quoted as saying. “Because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants.”
Main background
Biden’s comments about Japan, a key U.S. ally, came during a fundraiser hosted by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., to highlight the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. did. The event follows Kishida’s visit late last month, during which the two countries celebrated their “unbreakable alliance.” Mr Biden’s claim that Japan is “xenophobic” comes amid concerns that the country is facing a demographic crisis, and Mr Kishida last year said that Japan’s declining birthrate was “a major problem Japan is facing”. “This is the biggest crisis facing the world,” he said. According to Reuters, Japan’s population is expected to decline by about 30% to 87 million by 2070, after the number of births hit a record low in 2023.
References
Biden criticizes Japan and India as xenophobic: “They don’t want immigrants” (guardian)
