Quad Foreign Ministers to Meet in Washington Following Trump Inauguration

Japanese government officials announced that the foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, Australia, and India are expected to gather in Washington on January 21, a day after Donald Trump officially takes office as President. This ministerial meeting of the nations known as the Quad highlights the Trump administration's focus on strengthening ties among these countries, particularly given the escalating competition with China in the Indo-Pacific area.

The attendees, including Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, aim to discuss potential plans for an early summit involving the leaders of the four nations. Akihisa Nagashima, a special adviser to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, noted on a social media platform that the Trump administration’s emphasis on the Quad is likely to have a profound influence on security in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Quad countries began increasing their cooperation during Trump’s first term, aiming to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Since 2020, the Quad foreign ministers have been meeting regularly, with their inaugural summit taking place in 2021. Initially, their collaboration was limited to climate change and other specific areas, but it has since broadened to address maritime security as China's assertiveness in the region has grown.

Iwaya plans to be in Washington not only for the presidential inauguration on January 20 but also to engage with Marco Rubio, Trump's nominee for Secretary of State. This meeting will help pave the way for a potential summit discussion between Ishiba and Trump.