Before attending the APEC summit in South Korea, US President Donald Trump visited Japan to personally congratulate newly inaugurated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who had been in office for less than a week. He also brought three generous gifts, providing the “Iron Lady” of Japan with a powerful diplomatic boost.
After a fierce battle to secure the premiership, Takaichi barely had time to settle in. She rushed back to Tokyo to welcome Trump after attending the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. The two hit off immediately thanks to their shared respect for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
“Anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there,” Trump said. “We are an ally at the strongest level.”
Receiving this honor immediately after taking office instantly raised Takaichi’s international visibility. According to a poll published by the Sankei Shimbun on Monday, her approval rating reached 75 percent. Trump’s visit served as a powerful political endorsement, providing Takaichi with a much-needed boost.
The visit also served to deepen the US-Japan alliance. Takaichi was invited to take a ride in the Marine One helicopter and board the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, where she addressed hundreds of sailors, and expressed gratitude to both the US military and the Japan Self-Defense Forces for their contributions to peace. She declared that Japan would work hand in hand with the US to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
It is rare for a Japanese prime minister to deliver a speech aboard a US warship, demonstrating how highly the US values Takaichi’s strategic position. She also announced that Japan would meet its goal of raising defense spending to 2 percent of its GDP this year — two years ahead of schedule — exhibiting her commitment to strengthening the US-Japan alliance through concrete action.
China, Russia and North Korea are watching closely — nuclear-armed and belligerent — while the situation in the Taiwan Strait remains turbulent and unpredictable. If Japan’s political situation were to become unstable or the US-Japan alliance were to weaken, Abe’s warning that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” could amount to empty words.
Trump’s backing of Takaichi — who is regarded as the “female Abe” — is intended to solidify the Indo-Pacific defensive line. So long as the US-Japan alliance remains rock solid, any actor seeking to stir up trouble or alter the “status quo” would have to think twice before acting rashly.
Trump also met with Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, demonstrating his unwavering support for the Abe doctrine. Washington has treated Takaichi generously, granting her a diplomatic “blank check” that symbolizes its confidence and trust in her leadership, and sends a clear message to all of Japan’s political circles — only a steady and resolute helmsman can safely navigate Japan through turbulent waters.
Taiwan and Japan share deep historical ties, but due to the absence of official diplomatic relations, very few Japanese politicians — such as Abe and Takaichi — have dared to publicly voice support for Taiwan. Now, Trump’s endorsement has allowed the US-Japan alliance to grow even closer, indirectly benefiting Taiwan. Asked whether the Taiwan issue would come up during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) alongside the APEC summit, Trump said: “Taiwan is Taiwan.”
With Takaichi acting as a go-between, the concept that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” might further evolve into “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency — and a US contingency as well.”
Wang Hui-sheng is chief director of the Kisei Ladies’ and Children’s Hospital in Japan and a founding member of the East Asian Research Institute.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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