A prestigious gathering of technology, finance, and media leaders took place at the White House, honoring Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
President Joe Biden hosted this star-studded event to strengthen security and economic ties between the U.S. and Japan.
Among the attendees were notable figures such as Jamie Dimon from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Larry Fink of Blackrock, Tim Cook from Apple, and Jeff Bezos from Amazon.
The guest list emphasized the close relationship between the U.S. and Japan, with other prominent guests including Jon Gray from Blackstone, Arvind Krishna from IBM, and Masayoshi Son from SoftBank.
The dinner featured a lavish three-course meal, including house-cured salmon and dry-aged rib-eye steak, paired with wines from Washington state and Oregon.
Although the cherry blossoms in Washington had already peaked, symbolizing the enduring friendship between the two nations, the dinner was adorned with spring-themed decorations, including butterflies and Japanese gardens.
Entertainment for the evening was provided by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon.
While discussions during the event touched on defense issues and military ties in the Indo-Pacific region, there was also a focus on strengthening partnerships and investment in technology.
Microsoft President Brad Smith announced a significant investment of $2.9 billion (¥443 trillion) over the next two years to enhance cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Japan.
This commitment underscores the importance of technology in strengthening ties between the U.S. and Japan.
The guest list also included labor leaders such as David McCall and Shawn Fain, emphasizing the importance of labor issues in the relationship between the two countries.
Prominent figures from various fields, including actor Robert De Niro, Olympic medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, and former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, were also in attendance.
The state dinner for Prime Minister Kishida was a grand affair, highlighting the strong and enduring partnership between the U.S. and Japan.
