Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, addressing US lawmakers, said the United States must continue to play a leading role in international affairs amid new challenges. Underscoring that the US does not have to single-handedly shoulder the burden of upholding the international order, he said, "Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States".

The US President hosted Kishida for a White House state visit. Kishida urged the Congress to consider the importance of global commitments and encouraged Americans not to doubt the significance of their country's "pivotal" role in world affairs, as reported by the news agency Reuters.

"As we meet here today, I detect an undercurrent of self-doubt among some Americans about what your role in the world should beâ€æ The world needs the United States to continue playing this pivotal role in the affairs of nations," the Japanese PM was quoted saying.

Kishida's speech to the joint meeting of the US Congress was the first by a Japanese leader in nine years.

Highlighting the US-Japan relations, the Japanese PM added, "The democratic nations of the world must have all hands on deck. I am here to say that Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States. You are not alone. We are with you."

He stated that "Ukraine of today may be the West Asia of tomorrow" and asked, "Without the presence of the United States, how long before the Indo-Pacific would face even harsher realities than Ukraine?"

The Japanese leader reminded the US lawmakers of the "leading role" the US has played globally since World War II. He mentioned that after dropping two nuclear weapons on Japan to end the war, the US helped rebuild Japan, and the nations transformed from bitter enemies to close allies.

Kishida’s comments come against the backdrop of Republicans pushing for the US to take a less active role in global affairs and adopt the 'America First' policy.

Source: India Today