TOKYO: Japan on Saturday struck back at United States President Joe Biden's comments about the Asian ally being "xenophobic" like China and Russia, calling the characterization "unfortunate" and misguided.

Biden lumped together allies Japan and India with rivals China and Russia at a recent campaign event, arguing that the four economic powers were struggling because of their unwillingness to accept immigrants.

"Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan in trouble? Why is Russia in trouble? And India? Because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants," the president said on Wednesday.

"One of the reasons... our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants," he added.

In response, Tokyo said in a government statement that it was "unfortunate that comments not based on an accurate understanding of Japan's policy were made."

The Japanese government had already delivered this message to the White House and explained once again about its policies and stances, the statement added.

Biden's remarks came less than a month after he hosted a lavish state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a rare gesture of high-level diplomacy.

The 81-year-old Democrat's unexpected digs at Japan soon prompted the White House to tone them down.

The president was merely trying to send a broader message that "the United States is a nation of immigrants," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "It's in our DNA."

Tokyo, for its part, said this clarification hadn't been lost.

"We're aware of the US government's explanation that the comments in question weren't made for the purpose of harming the importance and perpetuity of the Japan-US relationships," its statement said.