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TOKYO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) — Japan and the United States will set up ministerial talks focused on economic and environmental issues in a framework of “two-plus-two,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday after holding a virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
The economy-focused two-plus-two talks will cover infrastructure investment, economic security, green energy, trade and other issues, local media reported citing Japanese government sources.
Japan’s foreign and industry ministers and the U.S. state and commerce secretaries will form the new dialogue framework as its four members, according to the sources.
During the online meeting, Biden agreed to the idea of holding a Quad summit meeting among the United States, Japan, India and Australia in Japan in the first half of this year, according to Kishida.
Kishida had hoped to hold talks with Biden in person, but surging COVID-19 infections forced him to give up on visiting the United States before the start of a parliamentary session in Japan earlier this month.
Since taking office in October last year, Kishida has placed priority on safeguarding national interests on the economic front. Japan and its longtime security ally the United States have been seeking to strengthen cooperation to make supply chains more robust.
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