Japan and India have both expressed their disappointment over remarks made by U.S. President Joe Biden, in which he described them as “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants. Japan stated that Biden’s judgment was not based on an accurate understanding of its policies, while India defended itself as the world’s most open society. The comments were made during a campaign fundraising event, where Biden grouped Japan and India with Russia and China, contrasting their struggling economies with the strength of the U.S. as a nation of immigrants.
Both Japan and India are key allies of the United States and part of the Quad, a U.S.-led informal partnership aimed at countering China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan recently reaffirmed its “unbreakable alliance” with the U.S. during a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a successful state visit to Washington last year. The White House has clarified that Biden meant no offense with his remarks and was simply emphasizing the U.S. as a nation of immigrants, and not trying to undermine relations with Japan.
In response to Biden’s comments, a Japanese government official stated that Japan understands the remark was meant to highlight the strength of immigrant presence in the U.S., and that Japan-U.S. relations remain strong. Similarly, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar rebutted Biden’s characterization of India as xenophobic, stating that India is the most open and pluralistic society in the world. Jaishankar highlighted India’s annual GDP growth rate of 7% and emphasized its openness and understanding towards diverse populations.
Biden’s comments were made during a fundraiser event with an Asian American audience, where he credited the nation’s thriving economy to its welcoming stance on immigrants. He questioned why countries like China, Japan, Russia, and India were facing economic challenges, attributing it to their supposed xenophobia towards immigrants. Both Japan and India have made efforts in recent years to ease their immigration policies, with Japan welcoming more foreign workers to address its declining birthrate and population decline. India also enacted a new citizenship law earlier this year, providing fast-track naturalization for certain religious groups while excluding Muslims.
Japan and India’s responses to Biden’s remarks reflect their commitment to fostering strong relationships with the United States while also asserting their own identities as open and inclusive societies. Despite the diplomatic fallout from the comments, all parties have emphasized the importance of dialogue and mutual respect in maintaining international partnerships. The incident underscores the complexities of navigating diplomatic relations in an increasingly interconnected world, where issues of immigration and diversity remain central to global discourse.
