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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday landed in the United States for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington, aiming to cement Japan's position as America's indispensable partner in Asia even as Trump turns his focus to West Asia amid the war with Iran, Japanese state media reported today.
Ahead of embarking for Washington DC for a three-day US visit, Takaichi told reporters in Tokyo that she hopes to reaffirm the strength of bilateral ties with Trump on issues ranging from security to the economy. US is Japan's security ally and the Japanese leader is also expected to present Trump with a new round of investments under a $550 billion trade deal signed last year. "Global peace and stability is being threatened, including over the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and energy security," she said. "If the current unstable situation continues, things will get even harder for both Japan and the United States, as well as the rest of the world," Kyodo News reported. Prior to her departure, the Japanese PM took to X to post, "For tomorrow's Japan-US summit meeting, I aim to make it an opportunity to strengthen Japan-US relations across all fields, including security and economic security as part of the economy, and to reaffirm the strong commitment of both Japan and the United States to a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)," which is also a pillar of Japanese diplomacy. While in flight, I will thoroughly prepare for the summit meeting with President Trump." The visit marks Takaichi's first trip to Washington since assuming office in October 2025. Days after she became Japan's first woman PM, she held her first summit with Trump in Tokyo. incidentally, in February this year, her Liberal Democratic Party she had secured a landslide victory in snap parliamentary election. According to officials, as cited by Kyodo news, Trump will host Takaichi for both a working lunch and a dinner later Thursday after the talks at the White House. Amidst the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran and Tehran's strikes on Israel and US miliary bases in the Gulf region Trump had on Tuesday (local time) walked back on his call for Japan, China, NATO, South Korea and others to send warships to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for transportation of crude oil and gas. "Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance -- WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea," Trump wrote on social media. "In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!" While Japan has not made any statement over the US and Israeli actions, Tokyo has condemned Tehran for its attacks on other countries in West Asia, resulting in civilian casualties. Japan is a country heavily dependent on oil imports and Japanese companies already are experiencing price increases of oil products and facing supply restrictions as a result of the blockage in the Strait of Hormuz. The Japanese government has begun releasing oil from its strategic reserves and plans to provide subsidies to help offset the surge in oil prices as per a report in the Washington Post. Japan historically has maintained friendly relations with Israel and Arab countries, and has positioned itself as a neutral intermediary in other conflicts in the Middle East. Its constitution, adopted after World War II, restricts military operations overseas, and Japan has previously deployed its Self-Defence Forces in April 1991, following the Gulf War, only after a ceasefire was declared, the Post reported. Takaichi's US visit also comes at a time when there are tensions between Japan and China after her statement in parliament on November 7 that a military attack on Taiwan or naval blockade by Beijing might constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, implying that Tokyo could invoke its right to collective self-defence. Meanwhile, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard released the 2026 annual threat assessment of the US Intelligence community. The report states that China-Japan tensions increased significantly in November 2025 following comments made by Takaichi describing a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan as a "survival threatening situation" for Japan. "In response, China is employing multidomain coercive pressure that probably will intensify through 2026, aimed both at punishing Japan and deterring other countries from making similar statements about their potential involvement in a Taiwan crisis," the report said. China's initial actions have included aggressive official rhetoric, the cancellation of flights and cultural exchanges, and the reimposition of its ban on Japanese seafood imports. Beijing probably will escalate to additional coercive economic measures if tensions increase. China probably will also increase military and coast guard activity around the Senkaku Islands--disputed territory administered by Japan but claimed by China--to signal displeasure and test Japanese responses. These activities could increase the risk of accidents or miscalculation leading to inadvertent escalation, the report by the US intelligence agency said. "However, the IC assesses that China will likely seek to set the conditions for an eventual peaceful reunification with Taiwan, short of conflict," it said. Trump was also scheduled to visit Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping on a planned visit slated to begin on March 31. The US President on Tuesday confirmed he is delaying plans to meet with Xi. "We are resetting the meeting," Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. "We're working with China. They were fine with it.". Trump said that he now plans to visit in "about five weeks" or towards the end of April. His last state visit to China was in 2017, during his first term. (ANI)
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