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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday shortly after arriving in Tokyo for the state funeral of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe.
Abe, who was assassinated in July, will be honored on Tuesday, and Harris is leading a U.S. delegation to pay its respects.
“The alliance between Japan and the United States is a cornerstone of what we believe is integral to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” she said at the Akasaka Palace.
Kishida said Abe “poured his heart and soul” into strengthening ties between their two countries.
“I feel it is my duty to carry on his aspirations,” Kishida said.
Abe forged closer ties with the United States at a time of increased concern about China’s ambitions, and Kishida is continuing his push for a stronger national defense.
The potential for war over Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as part of its own territory, has troubled Japan, which would likely be pulled into such a conflict.
