Kishida's weeklong trip focuses on China-Taiwan tensions ahead of G7 summit

Hand on the shoulder. That is intentional to psychologically take the dominant position, while the other psychologically become the dominated. Basic stuff...

JB: you're a goood boy Fumio-kun

FK: ooh, thaank you Daddy

Can't believe his luck, can Kishida. Self important oik

the G7 summit to be held for three days from May 19 in the western Japan city devastated by a U.S. atomic bombing in August 1945.

is it really necessary to trot this out every time?

Dominant, subservient, lapdog, etc etc....all irrelevant to the contents of the article and purpose of the meetings. Says far more about the intellectual level of the poster than anything else. What is clear is that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and standoff with NATO, China's continued threat of Taiwan, and North Korea itching to take advantage of China's inevitable invasion of Taiwan have all combined to shake Japan out of it's Heiwa-Boke and has furthered the US-JPN alliance.

On the domestic political front, Nagy said, "Japanese leaders benefit from proactive foreign policy achievements as it is one of the only areas where the public can expect to see change."

According to this analysis it is easier for the leader of a one party state to play act making influential foreign policy achievements than to enact beneficial change for the electorate at home?

Sounds like the definition of a degenerate gerontocracy.

With approval ratings for his cabinet nearing what is widely seen as the "danger level" of 30 percent due to several scandals and gaffes by ministers, the premier's diplomatic activities may contribute to improving his popularity

....or.... people might be pissed off at the raising of taxes, and the general downward trend of their earnings and upward trend of the cost of living, and, seeing FK swanning about the planet doing political-cosplay, and, perhaps being concerned at the escalation of 'defense' capabilities...... they might just further withdraw their approval....

almost double its annual defense spending to about 2 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years, on par with NATO members.

Japan must support the U.S. arms industry. This is equivalent to the the Sugar Act for American colonists.

Wow, what a pair to draw to.

they are actually very unskilled at their jobs

Biden looks like he kinda knows what he’s doing when photographed with Kishida. Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum. What a pair!

Mind your own business, Japan.

Mind your own business, U.S.A.

Taiwan and China is China's business.

Japan must support the U.S. arms industry. This is equivalent to the the Sugar Act for American colonists.

Japan must support its own defense and that of the region, while pro China hawks must put Japan down every time it bolsters its defense against Chinese ambitions of regional dominance. China just hates the fact Japan and the US move in unison as China has nobody like that itself.

China's friendship with Russia is a balancing act as both China and Russia see themselves as the natural leader of the pair, neither wants to be viewed as the junior party, or subservient to the other.

The US is always going to be the lead as it is the number one economy and military with more alliances than any other nation. It has many world leading technologies and bases around the world for support. EU nations, UK, Australia, South Korea, Japan all understand they are a junior partner to the US in military matters, and they have no problem with that.

Anti west autocratic nations take any opportunity to attempt to drive a wedge between US relationships with others. It always fails.

All the weapons Kishida wants will be funneled to Ukraine

biden thinks we are stupid

Japanese LDP regime who buy weapons twice or 3 times prices of when US Forces buy is mere "good customer" for US.

In December, Japan pledged to obtain enemy base strike capabilities under the war-renouncing Constitution to deter attacks on its territory and almost double its annual defense spending to about 2 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years, on par with NATO members.

That is just pledge of LDP regime who ignored even deliberation at the Diet and decided arbitrarily, never Japan's pledge. 

Japan where rely industrial parts or daily necessities on import from China and expect Chinese tourists' shopping every year. Even if such country where has many weaknesses to China buy old weapons and appeal "deterrence", it is nothing but pretence or bluff.

Its very straight forward and simple. To maintain stability/no conflict, across the Taiwan Strait, all parties just need to maintain the status quo, in every sense and its spirits, including the Taiwanese. The Chinese are not going to force unification if the Taiwanese and American don't try to slice salami. Eg, when Ma was the president.

All future if this , if that, are just war mongering, parties trying to justify what they want to do, ie, not because of their desire for a stable Taiwan Strait.

Are you ready to check out for your shopping cart? You have two items:

weapons package

security protection package

Good job Kishi Boy, now build me an army worthy of Uncle Sam's Global Empire.

So Japan is all-in on the US contingency plan for Taiwan, that is Japan lets the US launches intervention from Okinawa in exchange for China launching ballistic missiles on Tokyo?

Sacrifice Tokyo to save Taipei? Looks that way.

Cut your pathetic lap dog pro-US geopolitical circus tour and start focus in your country!!!!!....

If there was a situation the USA has with an island off its coast claiming independence and, the USA threatening to reunite the errant island by force, China would not sell weapons worth billions to that island to defend itself against the USA and, threaten action against the USA if it does not

keep its hands off the island.

If the US military is leading then please explain why the new stealth Bomber is so much slower than than the new Russian stealth Bomber?

Why is U.S space technology so far behind ?

it’s not, it’s just as usual you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Par for the course.

LOL, that face! Kishida looks so uncomfortable without his interpreter!

"You've done a great job," says Joe Biden, patting on the shoulder of an all-smile Fumio Kishida.

The "great job" Biden refers to is, of course, the Kishida cabinet's decision to increase its defense budget twice as much from 21.5 trillion yen to 43 trillion for the next five years, the bulk of which is to be used for the purchase of U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles.

All this was decided arbitrarily by Kishida without Dietary discussion and sanction.

Kishida often boasts to say he is a good listener. But his ears are always pointed at what the U.S. says, never at the grassroots voice of the nation, Okinawa in particular, thus fortifying bases in Okinawa along the line dictated by the U.S.

no One should trust the US govt because they most of them are minions that advance the agenda of the globalists to usher the world into the new world order, one world global governance. There should be no superpower for this goal to be achieved so America has to cease from being a superpower. That is why the borders are open for illegals to deplete the resources of the US and for drugs and crime to increase. The US military and US citizens have to be decimated by the killer jab. Deplete the military suppplies and drain the finances by sending money and arms to Ukraine. Distort supply chains, increase inflation, attack food supply by going after farms through environmental and other regulations, cull poultries and cattles, set on fire food manufacturing plants, etc. etc.

JB: you're a goood boy Fumio-kun

FK: ooh, thaank you Daddy

exactly what I was thinking too!

what about Isis targeting Chinese under the nose of talibs in afgan n baloch in Pakistan they r more than enough to wet the pants of chinese That’s y US is doing nothing

Fumio Kishida: Mister President of the United States of America, your honour makes me S0 happy! I shall tell all my countrymen to forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

How strengthening of the Japan-U.S. military alliance affects ordinary citizens' daily life in Okinawa is shown by the fact that a fourth litigation was filed by 35,566 plaintiffs living near and around Kadena Air Base, demanding for a ban on flight training of aircraft in early morning hours and late evening hours.

In the third litigation, the plaintiff's appeal was half recognized, for the court ruling obliged the government to pay damages for the noise pollution only. As regards a ban on early and late hour flight training, the ruling said that that was beyond Japan's law, citing the so-called “third party activity theory”.  Can anyone understand this arcane legal term?

Thus, early-/late-hour flight training continued the same as before. Rather, it intensified all the more. As a result, the fourth litigation with more plaintiffs.

In the photograph above, Biden is patting on Kishida's shoulder, for Kishida seems to have promised Biden he would do more for the sake of the U.S. whatever burden his compatriots may shoulder.

“Good boy, Fumio. You’ve done a good job,” gloats Biden, patting on Kishida’s shoulder.

“Oh, have I? Thank you, sir,” replies Kishida, wryly smiling.