Overview
- In a Friday phone call, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said President Trump invited her to visit the United States in the spring and agreed to arrange the trip.
- Japan’s foreign ministry said the leaders committed to strengthening cooperation on security and the economy and to working with partners including South Korea for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
- The prospective visit is intended to coordinate positions on China ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April, with dates and agenda still under discussion.
- The White House has not yet confirmed the call or the invitation, while Tokyo has publicly outlined the conversation.
- The outreach follows Takaichi’s November remarks on a Taiwan contingency that angered Beijing and comes during heightened regional tension including Chinese drills near Taiwan and a proposed U.S. arms package to the island.