US and Japan celebrate closer ties, but undercurrent of doubt is real

key takeaways

• Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s visit to the United States marked the emergence of a more global alliance over the past decade.
• The summit delivered new initiatives on defense cooperation, but revealed that the economic agenda, while constructive in important ways, lacks a major initiative.
• Even as the leaders celebrated the relationship’s progress, Kishida’s speech to Congress revealed Japanese anxiety about the sustainability of US leadership.