US Vice President Kamala Harris visits Japan and South Korea to deepen engagements in Indo-Pacific
Asia-Pacific, News, US September 29, 2022 1 Comment on US Vice President Kamala Harris visits Japan and South Korea to deepen engagements in Indo-PacificU.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Japan and South Korea on September 26, 2022, where she held meetings with leaders of the two countries and participated in the state funeral of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Harris landed in Tokyo on September 26, where she lead the U.S. delegation at the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The 55-year-old Abe was assassinated in July during a public gathering. During her stay in Tokyo, Harris also met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“The alliance between Japan and the United States is a cornerstone of what we believe is integral to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” Harris said during her meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister.
According to a statement released by the White House, “they discussed the People’s Republic of China’s recent aggressive and irresponsible provocations in the Taiwan Strait, and reaffirmed the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
The two leaders stressed on the importance of “ironclad commitment to Japan’s security” amid China’s rise in the region. The U.S. has more than 50,000 military personnel based in Japan.
Harris also met with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in Tokyo, who was present in Japan to participate in the funeral. According to the White House statement, during her meeting with Prime Minister Han, Vice President Harris reaffirmed United States’ commitment to the U.S.-South Korea defense relationship and welcomed steps to broaden the alliance to take on the new regional challenges.
Both leaders condemned the recent ballistic missile launch by North Korea and pledged to work together to address the threats posed by North Korean nuclear and missile programs.
After concluding her visit to Japan, the U.S. Vice President arrived in Seoul where she met with South Korean President YoonSuk-yeol and visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). During her meeting with the South Korean President, Vice President Harris underscored U.S.’s commitment to defending South Korea by strengthening the combined defense posture.
The U.S. vice president’s visit to the DMZ comes only a day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast. According to the South Korean authorities, the missiles were launched between 18:10 and 18:20 local time, and flew 360 kilometers, reaching an altitude of 30 kilometers before falling into the Eastern waters. Japan’s coast guard also confirmed the launch.
At DMZ, Harris went to the top of the ridge near the towers of the coast guard where she took a look at the North Korean military installation on the other side of the border. She described the North Korean missile launches as provocations meant to “destabilize the region” and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula.
Experts believe the North Korean missile launch is in retaliation to the U.S.-South Korea joint naval drills. The two navies are set to perform four-day long joint drills in the region that would also involve a U.S. aircraft carrier for the first time since 2017.
Asia Asia-Pacific Ballistic Missile Defense Drills Indo-Pacific Japan Korean Peninsula Missile North Korea South Korea U.S.
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[…] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris also visited South Korea and Japan last week in order to bolster the trilateral relations between the three countries while accusing North Korea of undermining regional security. […]