Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says G7 should take a strong stand against Russia's Ukraine Invasion

WASHINGTON — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday the G-7 summit in Hiroshima in May should demonstrate a strong will to uphold international order and rule of law after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at a news conference in Washington a day after a summit with President Joe Biden on Friday, Kishida made no mention of a comment by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who accused the Japanese leader on Saturday of shameful subservience to the United States and suggested he should ritually disembowel himself.

Biden Commends Kishida for Japan’s Military Spending Boost

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday commended Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for boosting Japan’s military spending and drastically changing its defense posture, and he called out threats from China, North Korea and Russia as reasons behind the two countries’ decision to ramp up their collective security.

Biden conveyed this to Kishida in a White House meeting that underscored the deepening U.S.-Japan strategic alliance and Tokyo’s growing sense of vulnerability amid regional security threats, mainly from China, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

"The United States is fully, thoroughly, completely committed to the alliance,” Biden said. “And more importantly, to Japan's defense.” (KB/VOA)