Trump Welcomes Japan’s PM Takaichi for an Initial US Visit
President Donald Trump extended an invitation to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during a phone call on Friday, urging her to visit the United States this year, according to the Japanese foreign ministry. This visit would mark the ultraconservative leader’s inaugural trip to the US since assuming office in October. The White House has not yet confirmed the call or the invitation. As relations between Japan and China have become increasingly strained, tensions in the region have intensified. The United States, a close ally of Japan, is working to enhance its relationship with Tokyo while also aiming to stabilize its connection with Beijing in anticipation of a potential visit by Trump to China in April.
This week, Beijing conducted two days of military exercises in the waters off Taiwan. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, provoked strong reactions from China late last year when she stated that Chinese military action against Taiwan could justify a Japanese military response, departing from the strategic ambiguity maintained by previous Japanese leaders on this delicate issue. In a statement released on Friday, the Japanese foreign ministry indicated that Takaichi and Trump reached an agreement to coordinate for the visit to take place this spring. Kyodo News, Japan’s news agency, indicated that Takaichi’s visit might align with the annual cherry blossom festival in Washington.
The foreign ministry stated that the two leaders confirmed their commitment to creating a new chapter in the history of the Japan-US alliance during a year that marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. They expressed their intention to further enhance the friendly relations between the two nations, encompassing economic and security cooperation. Takaichi and Trump also expressed their dedication to fostering collaboration among like-minded partners, including the Japan-US-South Korea partnership, and to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to the foreign ministry statement. “The two exchanged views mainly on the Indo-Pacific region,” the ministry said, but it did not provide details, including whether the two discussed recent actions by Beijing in the region.
China’s military drills off Taiwan followed the announcement by the Trump administration of a package of arms sales to Taiwan, valued at over USD 11 billion. If approved by Congress, it would signify the largest aid package to the island in history, a decision that has drawn strong criticism from China. Beijing asserts its sovereignty over the self-governed island and pledges to take it by force if deemed necessary. The United States is bound by domestic law to supply Taiwan with adequate hardware to deter any potential aggression from the mainland. On Monday, Trump stated that he had not been informed of the exercises beforehand, yet he continued to emphasize his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In October, Trump met with Takaichi in Tokyo, just after she assumed her position. The two shared cordial remarks, and Trump accompanied her when addressing US troops aboard an aircraft carrier in Japan. Following Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan that provoked Beijing’s ire, Trump reached out to her, expressing that they were “extremely good friends” and encouraging her to call him anytime, as stated by the Japanese leader, who did not reveal whether their conversation included her comments.
