The labelling of Japan as” xenophobic” by Joe Biden was “unfortunate” and” not based on an correct” knowledge of the country, Japan’s US embassy says.
The US president said that Japan, India, China and Russia “do n’t want immigrants” during a campaign fundraising event earlier this week.
He claimed that he was referring to US immigration procedures and that he was not offended.
The reply, however, has drawn contempt from some US and international observers.
Speaking to a mostly Asiatic- American viewers on Wednesday, Mr Biden said:” Why is China stalling so terribly financially? Why is Japan having difficulties. Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they’re racist. They do n’t want immigrants”.
Eventually, the US government clarified that his statement was intended to convey the message that “immigrants make the US stronger” and that they did not intend to “undermine” the US-Japan marriage.
Japan’s ambassador said on Friday that it was “aware” of the clarity.
It is shocking that some of the comments were made without having a thorough understanding of Japan’s policies in mind, the statement continued.
In recent years, Japan’s usually stringent immigration laws have been relaxed in order to address a gradually declining population.
Mr. Biden made the comments less than a fortnight after, during a state visit to Washington by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, he called the US-Japan empire “unbreakable.”
The US-Japan relationship is” stronger than always,” according to the embassy.
Mr Biden’s remarks were even criticised by China.
Chen Weihua, a popular columnist for the condition- owned China Daily. the US senator was “obsessed with smearing China,” according to a X/Twitter user. It’s a major emotional disease”.
India’s federal has not immediately responded to Mr Biden’s responses. But, Madhavan Narayanan, an American scholar and blogger, told the Abu Dhabi- based National paper that it was “incorrect” to declare his country does not want refugees.
He claimed that India has been attractive for both the wealthy residents and the really low-paying immigrants from Bangladesh and developing nations.
In response to growing dissatisfaction with his approach to immigration, especially at the US-Mexico border, Mr. Biden has adopted an increasingly restrictive policy.
