Baku, February 23, AZERTAC
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has told a high-ranking government official that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will address a joint session of Congress during his official visit in April, Kyodo News reports citing sources with knowledge of the situation.
The U.S. side will soon formally inform the Japanese government of its decision to invite Kishida to deliver a congressional speech, the sources said, adding that Washington and Tokyo will try to realize his appearance in the legislature possibly on April 11.
The last Japanese leader to address the U.S. Congress was then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2015, during the administration of President Barack Obama.
In late January, the White House said U.S. President Joe Biden will host Kishida for an official visit, which includes a state dinner in Washington, on April 10.
During his visit, Kishida is most likely to pledge that Japan will further strengthen its long-standing alliance with the United States and play an active role in ensuring peace in the Indo-Pacific region and elsewhere.