Japanese PM to Hold Summit with Biden in Washington in Jan., Reports Say

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit the US to have a summit with President Joe Biden, Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper added that there are several preparations are conducted for the meeting between both leaders that would take place on January 13. 

It will be the first visit by Kishida to the US.

Previously, the Japanese newspaper Kyodo said that a meeting of the defense and foreign ministers of both nations could be organized in Washington in mid-January.

Previously. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has ordered a sharp hike in defense spending that will increase the defense budget of his long-peaceful country to nearly the levels spent by Russia.

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said on Monday that Kishida has instructed ministers to prepare a budget of about 43 trillion yen ($315 billion) for the five-year period starting next April. This represents an increase of 57% over the 27 trillion yen initially budgeted for the current five-year period.

The change of course for Japan, which has kept a pacifist constitution drafted by the United States since its defeat in World War II, comes after the shock of Russia's operation in Ukraine. China's threats toward Taiwan's and North Korea's nuclear ambitions have also prompted Tokyo to embark on one of its biggest military build-ups in decades.