Space, security, and cherry blossoms on agenda for U.S., Japan meeting

A new partnership on space exploration, a deepening security effort, and a fresh batch of cherry blossom trees are a few of the highlights U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plan to announce after their meeting on Wednesday.

The two leaders will unveil a commitment for even tighter military relations between the two countries, as they seek to balance China’s power in the Asia-Pacific region. Those efforts will include modernizing the U.S. command structure in Japan.

The plans, previewed by senior Biden administration officials, also include announcements related to an integrated missile defense system with Australia and Japan and Japan’s move to join NASA’s lunar mission.

Japan, which originally gifted Washington cherry blossom trees more than a century ago, has also agreed to provide young cherry blossom trees to replace scores around Washington’s Tidal Basin that were cut down for a restoration project. One senior administration official described it as a signal of “their continued friendship and partnership.” Kishida is expected to hold a planting ceremony on the National Mall on Wednesday.

The changes to the command structure are significant because they will allow the countries to conduct more joint operations. It won’t be immediate, however; a second senior administration official noted that it would take months to work through the details.

Japan will not be formally invited to join AUKUS, the pact between the U.S., Australia, and the U.K. to share nuclear submarine technology. However, officials from both countries will allude to plans to begin consultations with Japan on potentially joining “pillar two” of the pact, which relates to advanced technology research.

While the most focus will likely be paid to the security agreements, the official visit — Biden’s fifth as president — is expected to yield about 70 joint announcements, the first senior administration official said.

On Tuesday, the U.S. and Japan unveiled joint private sector research initiatives related to artificial intelligence. The countries will also announce $12 billion in funding for an exchange program allowing high school students to travel from the U.S. to Japan and vice versa, a third official said.

• During their meeting, Biden also wants to raise a proposal for a high-speed rail in Texas using Japanese bullet trains, Reuters reported.
• One contentious issue that the two leaders aren’t going to talk about is the proposed takeover of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, which Biden recently said he opposed.