President Biden will meet virtually with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Jan. 21 in an effort to "deepen ties" between the two countries, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Sunday.
State of play: Psaki emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is a "cornerstone of peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific and around the world."
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The big picture: Biden and Kishida will continue to work together to coordinate responses to the coronavirus, new and emerging technologies and the climate crisis, Psaki said, adding that they would also work together through the so-called Quad.
The Quad - an alliance of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India - is intended to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, and is viewed by Beijing as an anti-China bloc.
Between the lines: While Biden and his team continue to attempt a strategic shift toward countering China, the president must first confront a brewing crisis in Europe as the U.S. hopes to avert a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.
