Русский On April 16, 2021, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide became the first foreign head of state to visit US President Joe Biden’s White House. The reason for Biden’s choice is no mystery. Quite simply, Japan is Washington’s most important ally in containing the threat from China, America’s foremost strategic competitor. Of the common interests and concerns enumerated in the Japan-US Joint Leaders’ Statement issued on that occasion, what jumped out most conspicuously were the references to “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and “peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.” It was the first time in more than a half century that the leaders of the two countries had broached the topic of Taiwan in a joint statement.