Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated his newly elected Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida as he took the oath of office. Modi said that he looks forward to working together with Kishida to strengthen the India-Japan special strategic and global partnership.
“Congratulations and best wishes to the new Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Kishida Fumio. I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership and advance peace and prosperity in our region and beyond,” PM Modi said in a tweet written in the Japanese language.
Kishida was elected as the Prime Minister of Japan on Monday. Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner held a majority in both houses and defeated Yukio Edano, head of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
‘Ready to meet Kim-Jong Un’
US President Joe Biden also offered his congratulations to Kishida. He said that the US-Japan relationship will help both nations face new challenges. “The US-Japan Alliance is the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world, and I look forward to working closely with Prime Minister Kishida to strengthen our cooperation in the months and years ahead,” Biden said in a statement.
Kishida also said that will continue to put the Japan-US alliance as the foundation for Japan’s foreign policy along with speaking with Biden regarding a nuclear weapon-free world.
The Japanese Prime Minister also said that he is ready to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un without any preconditions.
Soon after taking office Kishida said that he will increase hospital beds and attempt to improve government response to the Covid-19 pandemic, news agency Reuters reported. He also said that he will put measures in place to stop the spread of coronavirus by increasing the number of tests and promoting vaccination. “We will work towards preventing leaking of technology through instating an economic security minister,” Kishida was quoted as saying by Reuters.