'Phone Call with Yoon' Pelosi Holds Breakfast Meeting with Japan's Kishida... "Discussing Taiwan Issue"

Airport reception by four-term former Foreign Ministry Vice Minister
Kishida: "US-Japan close cooperation on Taiwan issue"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Hee-jong] Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, who is on a tour of Asia, visited Japan on the night of the 4th following her visit to Korea. On the morning of the 5th, she held a breakfast meeting and talks lasting about an hour with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

According to Japanese media such as NHK and Nihon Keizai on that day, Pelosi held a breakfast meeting and talks with Prime Minister Kishida at the Prime Minister's official residence from 8 a.m. for about an hour, discussing issues including Taiwan. Japan is the last country on Pelosi's Asia tour.

After the meeting, Prime Minister Kishida told reporters, "We confirmed that the U.S. and Japan will closely cooperate to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

He also conveyed to Pelosi that he strongly protested to China regarding five ballistic missiles fired by China in response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan landing inside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), calling it "a serious issue concerning Japan's security and the safety of its people."

Prime Minister Kishida added, "We expect Pelosi's leadership and the support of the U.S. Congress to strengthen the deterrence of the U.S.-Japan alliance and to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Kishida and Pelosi also exchanged views on the North Korean situation and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kyodo News reported. They also discussed ways to realize a "world without nuclear weapons."

Attending the talks on the Japanese side were Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, Prime Minister's aides Ken Nakatani and Minoru Derida, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the U.S. side, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel to Japan and members of the House of Representatives attended.

Before the meeting began, Prime Minister Kishida met Pelosi, smiled, shook hands, took commemorative photos, spoke in English, and then guided her to the breakfast venue.

This visit drew attention as it took place amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, with the Chinese People's Liberation Army surrounding Taiwan and conducting live-fire exercises in response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Pelosi began her Asia tour on the 1st and arrived in Japan last after visiting Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Korea.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to NHK, when Pelosi arrived at Yokota Air Base in Japan on the night of the 4th, Japan welcomed her with Kiyoshi Odawara, four-term Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. In Korea, no government or parliamentary officials greeted Pelosi upon her arrival, sparking controversy over the perceived slight.

Pelosi had a 40-minute phone call with President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was on vacation on the 4th, instead of meeting him in person, and held talks with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.