Japan expressed disappointment over US President Joe Biden's recent comments calling some Asian nations "xenophobic," local media said on Saturday.
The Japanese government told Washington that Biden's remarks were not based on an accurate understanding of Japan's policy, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.
During a recent campaign fundraiser in the nation's capital, Biden said: "You know, one of the reasons why our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants. Look, think about it. Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants."
"Immigrants is what makes us strong. Not a joke. That's not hyperbole. Because we have an influx of workers who want to be here and just contribute," he added.
On Thursday, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was talking about the importance of being a country of immigrants, a label the US often uses for itself.
"He was talking about the importance of being a country of immigrants, especially as you see the attacks that we have seen very recently in the last couple of years on immigrants in particular," she said.
Pressed on whether the president would phrase his remarks the same way again, Jean-Pierre said, "That is up to the president, you know, he is the president."
