The Japanese Embassy on Friday issued a slight rebuke of President Joe Biden for referring to Japan as “xenophobic,” saying it raised concerns with administration officials over the remarks.
“It is unfortunate that some of the comments were not based on an accurate understanding of Japan’s policies,” the embassy said in a statement to POLITICO. “We have raised this point to the U.S. government and explained Japan’s positions and policies once again.”
During a campaign fundraiser on Wednesday, Biden grouped Japan — a close U.S. ally —with several other countries that he said were struggling economically because of their immigration policies.
“Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India?” Biden said during his speech. “Because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants.”
The remarks came at a fundraiser hosted by several prominent Asian American officials, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. They were delivered on the first day of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre subsequently said that the president “was trying” to say that “when it comes to who we are as a nation, we are a nation of immigrants.”
The Japanese Embassy in its statement said it was “aware” that the administration had clarified that Biden’s comments were intended to highlight immigrants’ role in strengthening the U.S., “and that his comment was not made with the intent of undermining the importance and permanence of the Japan-U.S. relationship.”
It also stressed that the dust-up would not affect Japan’s work with the U.S. in the future.
“We will continue to work with the U.S. to further strengthen our bilateral tie, building on the achievements of this official visit,” the embassy said, referencing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s White House visit in early April.
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