“Unfortunate” comment
Biden’s statement about xenophobia upsets Tokyo
May 4, 2024, 10:53 a.m
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At a campaign event, US President Biden irritated with a statement about Japan: The country is “xenophobic”, just like Russia and China. Now the Japanese government is reacting to the ally’s assessment.
The government in Tokyo reacted with incomprehension to US President Joe Biden’s statement that Japan was just as “xenophobic” as China and Russia. It was “unfortunate that comments were made that were not based on a correct understanding of Japanese politics,” it said in a statement. This message has already been delivered to the White House. In addition, the Japanese government explained its attitude and policy once again.
At a campaign event, Biden named US allies Japan and India alongside China and Russia and said the four economic powers were struggling because they were not accepting immigrants. “Why is China doing so badly economically? Why is Japan in trouble? Why is Russia in trouble? And India? Because they are xenophobic,” Biden said, according to the published speech manuscript. The US economy, on the other hand, is growing, among other things, because the country is accepting immigrants, emphasized the 81-year-old.
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month event, which took place on Wednesday, was not filmed or recorded; only a small group of journalists covered it.
White House explains Biden statement
While China and Russia are competitors or opponents of the USA, Biden’s comments about allies Japan and India are surprising. Since taking office in 2021, the US President has even strengthened relations with the two countries.
The White House said Biden’s statement meant he wanted to convey “that the United States is a nation of immigrants and that it is in our DNA.” “Our allies know very well how much the president respects them, values their friendship and values their contributions,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. Tokyo then said the Japanese government was aware “that the comments in question were not made with the purpose of harming the significance and durability of Japan-U.S. relations.”
The 81-year-old Biden wants to run against Republican former President Donald Trump in the November presidential election. In recent months, Biden has repeatedly made slips of the tongue and mix-ups. This brought criticism that the US Democrat was too old for the presidency.