Biden in Japan .. and North Korea ignores the offer of dialogue

US President Joe Biden began his visit in Japan, second stop on its first Asian tour, aimed at affirming Washington’s commitment to the region, overshadowed by the possibility of North Korea conducting a test after ignoring the US call for dialogue. The President of the United States is expected to highlight his country’s leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region tomorrow during a meeting with leaders from Australia, India and Japan as part of the Quad Quadruple Alliance Summit.

The tour arrives in one moment in which rival China is experiencing major economic turmoil due to the outbreak of the Covid virus and Washington has described it as an affirmation of the United States’ determination to maintain its commercial and military advantage in the whole region.

But he overshadowed every stop on Biden’s tour, fearing North Korea might test a nuclear-capable bomb or missile.

Speculation that this could happen while the US president was in Seoul did not materialize, but US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that the threat remained and the adviser echoed the earlier statement. of Biden that the United States was “prepared for anything North Korea does.”

He added: “If North Korea moves, we will be ready to respond. If North Korea doesn’t move, it has the opportunity, as we have said several times, to come to the table and negotiate.”

Referring to his one-sided dialogue efforts thus far, Biden said, “The only message he has for Kim is currently one word (hello) dot by line.”