TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday voiced his determination to strengthen the Quad alliance -- a bloc to counter Chinese assertiveness that also includes the U.S., Australia and India -- while also stabilizing relations with China.
In his first policy speech, Kishida, who was elected as the nation's 100th prime minister on Monday, pledged to "strongly promote a free and open Indo-Pacific by cooperating with allies" and through the Quad. He also emphasized that "at the core of our country's foreign and security policies is the Japan-U.S. alliance."
