[Biden Victory] "Sincere Congratulations to Joe Biden"... Japanese Prime Minister's Greeting Without 'Election Win'

No Use of 'Election' in Congratulatory Tweets
Official Message Expected After Biden Candidate's Formal Victory Declaration

[Asia Economy International Department Reporter] Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sent congratulatory greetings via Twitter on the 8th after local media reported that Democratic candidate Joe Biden won the U.S. presidential election.

At around 6:27 a.m. that day, Prime Minister Suga posted on Twitter in both Japanese and English, saying, "I sincerely congratulate Mr. Joe Biden and Ms. Kamala Harris."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He added that he looks forward to strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance further and cooperating to secure peace, freedom, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world.

However, in this message, Prime Minister Suga did not use expressions such as "election victory," which could be seen as the reason for his congratulations.

Suga’s somewhat ambiguous congratulatory message to candidate Biden via Twitter is interpreted as a prompt response due to the expectation that the confirmation of the election result would be delayed, as President Donald Trump indicated his intention to contest the vote count.

Japan has traditionally sent congratulatory messages from the Prime Minister to the winner at the time when the opposing candidate concedes defeat after the U.S. presidential election.

In fact, in 2016, then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a congratulatory statement just 30 minutes after candidate Trump declared victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Japan also expressed congratulations in the name of the Prime Minister in the 2004 election when Republican candidate George W. Bush defeated Democratic candidate John Kerry, and in the 2008 and 2012 elections when Democratic candidate Barack Obama won consecutively, timed with the concession and victory declarations.

Additionally, in the 2000 election, after Democratic candidate Al Gore lost a legal battle and conceded defeat, then-Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori issued a statement congratulating President-elect Bush.

Accordingly, it is highly likely that Prime Minister Suga’s official congratulatory message will be released after candidate Biden officially declares victory.