President Joe Biden began his first full day in Japan by meeting with Japanese Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo.
Biden’s meeting with Kishida marks the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders when Japan’s prime minister took office in October.
The American President was greeted with much pomp and circumstance in front of the Akasaka Palace. A Japanese honor guard – dressed in white uniforms with red accents – marched with American and Japanese flags.
A military band played the Stars and Stripes and then the Japanese national anthem.
Earlier at the Imperial Palace, Biden was received outside by the Emperor before the two slipped inside for a private meeting.
“President Biden today called on His Majesty Emperor Naruhito to deliver greetings on behalf of the American people and to highlight the strength of the US-Japan relationship, which is anchored by deep people-to-people ties,” the White House said of Biden’s first Just.
President Joe Biden (left) walks alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) in front of the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on Monday morning
A Japanese honor guard, carrying both Japanese and American flags, greets President Joe Biden at Tokyo’s Akasaka Palace on Monday
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (left) stands next to President Joe Biden (right) during a welcoming ceremony at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on Monday
President Joe Biden (left) welcomes Japan’s Emperor Naruhito (right) to a meeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo — the first stop on Biden’s first full day in Japan
President Joe Biden (left) poses for a photo with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito (right) Monday morning outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
President Joe Biden (left) enters the Imperial Palace in Tokyo along with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito (right) on Monday morning.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (centre right) looks over the site being prepared for Monday’s welcoming ceremony for President Joe Biden
Security police officers are seen on the streets of Tokyo ahead of President Joe Biden’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday
President Joe Biden (right) hugs U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel (left) on the tarmac at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday
US Ambassador to Japan, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (right) stands next to Japan’s Secretary of State Yoshimasa Hayashi (left) to welcome President Joe Biden to the country Sunday night
Biden’s first trip to Asia brings him into contact with three new leaders: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
After holding a bilateral meeting, Biden and Kishida will hold a joint press conference on Monday afternoon.
On Monday night, they have dinner together at Tokyo restaurant Kuchuon.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, with whom Biden spent the weekend, has only been in office for 13 days.
They held an event at a Samsung plant, held a bilateral meeting and press conference, then invited Yoon Biden to a state dinner of Korean cuisine at the National Museum of Korea. They spent part of Sunday together at Osan Air Base thanking American and Korean troops.
On Tuesday, Biden meets the Australian Albanian as part of the second face-to-face quad meeting, which will also be attended by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Albanese won the Australian general election on Saturday against incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The White House confirmed on Sunday that Albanese would fly to Tokyo as one of his first official duties for the quad meet.
First lady Jill Biden slapped her husband to Asia when she led a two-man US delegation to the Tokyo Olympics in July, which were downsized due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She also met with Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace. The First Lady also spent time at Akasaka Palace with Japan’s former leader, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and his wife Mariko.
While Biden will interact with new leaders, an old issue hung over his time in Asia: missile and nuclear test threats from North Korea.
On Monday morning, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un failed to carry out a test threat.
Biden will meet privately Monday afternoon with the families of Japanese who were kidnapped in North Korea along with Kishida.
First Lady Jill Biden (left) traveled to Tokyo last summer and met with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito (right) at an event welcoming all the heads of delegation for the Tokyo Summer Olympics
First Lady Jill Biden waves to reporters as she arrives at the Imperial Palace for an event hosted by Japan’s Emperor Naruhito last July