White House State Dinner for Japan: What’s on the menu

Japanese PM will be the fifth State Dinner of the Biden administration
First Lady Jill Biden previewed the menu on Tuesday
All ingredients sourced in the United States

Tanya Noury

Updated: Apr 10, 2024 / 11:27 AM CDT

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko Kishida, wave from the Blue Room Balcony during a State Arrival Ceremony at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Mrs. Yuko Kishida of Japan for a State Dinner at the White House Wednesday night.

The main dish — dry-aged rib-eye steak with blistered shishito pepper butter — will be served on china dating back to the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson.

“Every detail of tomorrow’s State Dinner has been thoroughly planned by an incredible team of people from across our government,” the first lady told reporters at a media preview on Tuesday.

A State Dinner is one of the most prestigious events the White House holds, a full display of pomp and circumstance aimed at fostering diplomatic ties.

“As guests sit among the field of flowers, glass and silk butterflies from both our countries will dance over the tables,” the first lady said in her remarks. “Their graceful flight, a reminder that as our nations navigate the winds of change, we do so together as partners in peace and prosperity.”

First Lady Jill Biden selected Grammy-award-winning singer Paul Simon to perform for the 230 guests.

The dinner itself is set to highlight Japanese-American fusion. White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford said the inspiration for the first course — a house-cured salmon with avocados, red grapefruit, watermelon radish and cucumber — was the iconic American California roll.

“It’s been such a wonderful innovation of both countries, culinarily,” Comerford said while noting every ingredient was sourced in the U.S.

In addition to toasting to an alliance, Washington is ready to roll out the red carpet for the Japanese prime minister.

Kishida will take part in talks and a joint press conference with President Biden ahead of the State Dinner on Wednesday. On Thursday, Kishida was invited to address a joint meeting of Congress, making him the second Japanese leader to do so since the late Shinzo Abe in 2015.

The final piece of Kishida’s visit will be a trilateral summit between the United States, Japan and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines, meant to underscore their cooperation amid maritime tensions with China in the Pacific.

Kishida will be the fifth world leader honored with a State Dinner under President Biden, following the heads of state from France, South Korea, India and Australia.

Here is the full menu for Wednesday’s State Dinner, as released by the White House:

First Course