April 10 (UPI) — President Joe Biden and first woman Jill Biden honored Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and his spouse, Kishida Yuko, with a spring-themed state dinner Wednesday evening on the White Home that was bursting with symbolism of the deepening relationship between their two international locations.
Held within the East Room, the dinner started at about 8 p.m. EDT with the Bidens coming into because the band performed Hail to the Chief.
In kicking off the black tie festivities, Biden provided transient remarks and a toast.
He joked on how Washington, D.C.’s famed Japanese cherry blossoms had bloomed early for the event, however as they’re the primary signal of spring, they’re a reminder of renewal, how tomorrow is usually a higher day than at present and are an emblem of what each Japan and the USA cherish — “New beginnings,” he mentioned.
He recited a narrative of receiving a sticker-adorned envelope within the days following his inauguration. It was full of letters written by Japanese college students who suffered from stuttering and had been compiled by their instructor.
The instructor needed Biden to know that when she instructed her college students that he, too, stuttered, they “lit up smiling and so they mentioned, ‘We’re the identical,'” the president recalled.
“We’re the identical, Japan and the USA,” he mentioned. “We could also be divided by distance, however generations after generations, we have now been introduced collectively by the identical hopes, the identical values, the identical dedication to democracy and freedom and to dignity for all.
“And at present, with out query, our alliance is actually stronger than it has ever been.”
He remarked that their two international locations have grown from enemies to the closest of allies, and that Wednesday evening they vow to continue to grow collectively.
Although Biden didn’t point out China by identify throughout his toast, the Asian nation and its rising risk within the Indo-Pacific area has been omnipresent in the course of the two days the Kishidas have been in Washington.
Earlier Wednesday, the 2 world leaders dedicated to growing a brand new navy cooperative community system for air and protection functions.
“We stand at an inflection level the place the choices we make now are going to find out the course of the long run for many years to come back,” he mentioned. “However I additionally know that Japan and the USA stand collectively, and everybody ought to know that as nicely.”
He then lifted his glass to toast the Kishidas and the greater than 200 visitors on the dinner.
“To our alliance, to our friendship and, within the phrases of these younger college students in Japan, to the identical future we share,” he mentioned.
The Japanese prime minister spoke subsequent, reciting in English the connections between the USA and his household residence of Hiroshima, which he mentioned is residence to the biggest variety of Japanese immigrants to the Untied States.
“‘The pacific Ocean doesn’t separate Japan and the USA. Slightly, it unites us,'” Kishida Fumio mentioned, quoting phrases that President John F. Kennedy had written to Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato of Japan in 1961.
He joked that his workers tried to delete it from his speech, as he recites it so typically, however “there may be nothing that expresses our relationship as visibly as this.”
“And by no means have these phrases been extra related than at present,” he mentioned, including to applause that Japan are the USA have by no means been extra united.
They spoke earlier than the likes of actor Robert De Niro, American determine skater Kristi Yamaguchi and billionaires Jeff Bezos and Tim Prepare dinner in addition to former President Invoice Clinton and his spouse, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Japanese dignitaries current included billionaire Masayoshi Son, JAXA astronaut Hoshide Akihiko and J-pop duo Ayasa and Ikuta Lilas, in addition to many others.
The dinner consisted of a primary course of a house-cured salmon dish impressed by the California roll adopted by a important course of dry-aged Rib eye steak with a salted caramel pistachio cake and cherry ice cream for dessert.
The decor was impressed by spring and sought to remodel the room right into a vibrant backyard — “a spot of pleasure and renewal, of hope and progress, Jill Biden had described to press on Tuesday.
Visitors have been to sit down amongst flowers whereas glass and silk butterflies from each the USA and Japan flew above the tables.
“Their swish flight, a reminder that as our nations navigate the winds of change, we achieve this collectively — as companions in peace and prosperity,” the primary woman mentioned.
At about 10 p.m., the visitors entered the State Eating Room the place American musician Paul Simon was to carry out the evening’s leisure, beginning off with Graceland and Slip Slidin’ Away.
Prime Minister Kishida is the fifth world chief to be honored with a state dinner by the Bidens, after the leaders of Australia, India, France and South Korea.
