Washington, Jan 25 (AP) President Joe Biden will host Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a state visit on April 10, with the goal of strengthening a critical alliance as the United States has sought to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, told reporters aboard Air Force One that the visit will include a formal state dinner.

Also Read | Republic Day 2024 Chief Guest Is French President Emmanuel Macron, Check List of Chief Guests Who Visited India in the Last 5 Years.

As president, Biden has visited Japan twice, most recently going to the city of Hiroshima last May for the Group of 7 summit among major industrialized nations. Kishida's visit comes as the federal government is reviewing the national security implications of Japan's Nippon Steel plans to acquire the Pittsburgh-based company US Steel for roughly USD 14.1 billion.

Kirby declined to say whether the government's review of that potential merger would be a subject at the state visit. He said that Biden and Kishida will likely discuss a range of issues in Asia, including how to improve cooperation with South Korea.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron Hold Roadshow in Rajasthan's Jaipur (Watch Video).

"I think you can expect to see a robust discussion about how we're deepening our bilateral cooperation with Japan, improving our alliance capabilities across the board," Kirby said. “There will be a lot to discuss.” (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)