Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said that he hopes his relationship with President Yoon Suk Yeol will help the two countries build trust over time. 

Kishida made the remarks during an interview with The Washington Post, which was held in Tokyo ahead of his state visit to the United States. 

In the interview published on Tuesday, Kishida said that in his experience, Yoon has never wavered in his promises or decisions. 

Kishida added that he learned as foreign minister that personal relationships make a huge difference in diplomacy and ultimately, it comes down to the relationship between the top officials who make the decisions. 

Discussing the planned summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, Kishida stressed that it is important to demonstrate to the world the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance and to show how strong it is in today’s uncertain international society. Regarding this uncertainty, the prime minister referenced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East, and the security environment in East Asia.

Kishida added that during the visit, he would also like to emphasize that the Japan-U.S. alliance is not a relationship that is formed solely between the leaders of the two countries, but also between the Congress, between governments, and many private companies and local governments.