日米首脳会談、１６日に延期　加藤官房長官「万全期すため」

　政府は２日、菅義偉首相とバイデン米大統領による日米首脳会談を１６日にワシントンで開催すると発表した。バイデン氏が対面で行う初の首脳会談となる。当初は９日の予定だったが１週間延期する。理由について、加藤勝信官房長官は記者会見で「首相訪米の成功に万全を期すための準備も勘案し、１６日に最終的に決まった」と説明した。
　加藤氏は「各国首脳に先駆けての、対面での首脳会談だ。日本を極めて重要視している証しであり、日米同盟の結束を対外的に示すとともにインド太平洋地域への米国のコミットメントを示す上でも極めて意義深い」と語った。（2021/04/02-11:42）

The Japanese government said Friday that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden will meet in Washington on April 16, a week later than previously planned.
   "We finally decided to hold it on April 16, given the need for preparations to ensure the success of the prime minister's visit to the United States," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference.
   The meeting will be Biden's first in-person talks with a foreign leader since he took office in January. This is proof that the United States places a great emphasis on Japan, Kato said.
   "It's also very meaningful in terms of demonstrating the strength of the Japan-U.S. alliance and displaying the United States' commitment to the Indo-Pacific region," he added.
   In the meeting, Suga and Biden are expected to confirm the two countries' commitment to further strengthening the bilateral alliance.