7 hours ago
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TOKYO: Japan's government has been arranging with the US, Australia and India to hold a
Quad foreign ministers meeting
next week after the swearing-in ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump, Japan-based NHK World reported.
During NHK's debate programme on Sunday, Japanese Foreign Minister
Iwaya Takeshi
said that he will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the
Trump administration
on January 20.
According to sources, Japanese officials have been arranging a foreign ministers meeting of the Quad framework at the time of Iwaya's US visit, NHK World reported. Japan expressed hope to confirm with the new US administration the importance of maintaining and strengthening cooperation among the four nations to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The Japanese government is planning to arrange a meeting between Iwaya and his US counterpart. Notably, Trump has chosen Marco Rubio as the US Secretary of State. The top diplomats are likely to try to build relationship of trust between Japan and the US to further bolster the alliance.
They are expected to arrange a meeting between the leaders of the two nations at an early date. The Japanese government plans to take a final decision on the matter by analysing US Senate procedures for the approval of the Cabinet lineup, NHK World reported.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
will represent the Indian government at the swearing-in ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump as the 47th US President. He is set to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release.
Apart from attending the swearing, Jaishankar will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming administration, as well as some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion.
Notably, the Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, according to Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade statement.
Earlier in September, US President Joe Biden hosted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India in Wilmington for the fourth Quad Leaders' Summit. It was the fourth in-person and sixth overall Quad Leaders' Summit.
