Japan, U.S. to align on human rights, infrastructure at 2-plus-2

Allies seek unified standards for adoption in Indo-Pacific region as China rises

From left, Japan's Yoshimasa Hayashi and Koichi Hagiuda will meet the U.S.'s Antony Blinken and Gina Raimondo for their first economic 2-plus-2 talks. (Photos by Nikkei, Kyodo and UPI)

RIEKO MIKI, Nikkei staff writer

July 24, 2022 02:00 JST

TOKYO -- Japan and the U.S. will agree to create guidelines for infrastructure investment in developing countries and human rights safeguards in supply chains when their top foreign policy and economy officials meet in Washington this month, Nikkei has learned.

Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda will gather with their American counterparts, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, for the first economic version of long-standing 2-plus-2 talks on diplomacy and defense.