US President Joe Biden has criticized Japan and India, grouping them together with Russia and China as countries that are resistant to immigration, describing them as “xenophobic.” This statement comes despite recent affirmations of strong alliances with both Japan and India during diplomatic visits. The White House has clarified that Biden intended no offense with his remarks.
Addressing an audience primarily consisting of Asian-Americans at a campaign fundraising event, Biden emphasized the upcoming November election as a choice about “freedom, America, and democracy,” highlighting the importance of immigration to the United States. He suggested that China, Japan, Russia, and India were experiencing economic challenges because they resist immigration.
The comments have sparked criticism from US commentators, with Elbridge Colby, a former US deputy assistant secretary of defense, expressing that Japan and India are vital allies deserving of respect. He criticized applying narrow progressive perspectives to allies as patronizing and unwise.
Foreign-born workers
Despite Japan, India, and China having relatively low numbers of foreign-born workers, Russia heavily relies on migrant labor, particularly from Central Asia. Economic growth has been sluggish in Japan and China, while Russia’s militarized economy saw a slight rebound last year amid its conflict with Ukraine and international sanctions. India has steadily grown and surpassed the UK to become the world’s fifth-largest economy in 2023.
The White House defended Biden’s remarks, emphasizing his broader point about US immigration policy and reaffirming the value placed on alliances and partnerships with allies and partners. However, Sadanand Dhume, a South Asia expert, suggested that Biden’s comments could be poorly received in India amid a nationalist upsurge, reinforcing the perception that Biden is unfriendly to India.
In late April, a US Department of State report highlighted “significant” human rights abuses in India, drawing criticism from the Indian government as biased and reflecting a poor understanding of the country. Despite this, Dhume believes that Biden’s remarks are unlikely to have a significant impact on US-Indian relations in the long term.
While Japan has historically maintained strict immigration policies, it has recently taken steps to address its shrinking population by facilitating the entry of foreign workers.