Japan’s new Prime Minister Ishiba vows to push a strong defense under the Japan-US alliance

Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is pledging to stick to the vital Japan-U.S. alliance while calling for it to be more equitable. He took office Tuesday vowing to tackle a slow economy and regain public trust before an upcoming election. Shigeru Ishiba replaced Fumio Kishida, who stepped down to pave the way for a fresh leader after scandals dogged his government. In a show of Japan’s respect to its most important ally, the United States, Ishiba spoke by telephone with President Joe Biden early Wednesday and told reporters he reassured Biden of his plan to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance that Biden and Kishida have significantly elevated.