Clintons, Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos among White House state dinner guests for Japan’s Kishida

by Judy Kurtz - 04/10/24 5:23 PM ET

President Biden shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. — Allison Robbert
President Biden shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., for Kishida’s official state visit April 10, 2024.

Former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor Robert De Niro and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi are expected to be among the extremely VIP guests at the White House Wednesday for the state dinner for Japan.

Also expected at the event are Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and his fiancé, media personality Lauren Sanchez.

The prominent figures were among the roughly 200 attendees released on a guest list by the White House just ahead of the formal occasion.

Jill Biden said Tuesday that guests at the state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would walk into a White House space that would look as if it’s transformed into a “vibrant, spring garden.”

The gala, the first lady said, would “celebrate the flourishing friendship between the United States and Japan.”

The black-tie event — the fifth state dinner of the Biden administration — will also feature a performance by “You Can Call Me Al” singer Paul Simon.

Guests at the event will be served dry-aged ribeye steak, house-cured salmon, blistered shishito pepper butter, fricassee of fava beans, morels and cipollini and sesame oil sabayon. Dessert is set to include salted caramel pistachio cake with matcha ganache and cherry ice cream with a raspberry drizzle.

Administration officials had described Kishida’s official state visit as part of a “crowning partnership” between the countries.