US President Donald Trump has successfully concluded his visit to Malaysia and arrived in Japan as the second leg of his Asian tour.
This visit of his is for the first personal meeting with Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. This meeting is seen as an important opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Before departing from Kuala Lumpur, President Trump concluded his 24-hour visit to Malaysia and expressed his gratitude to the officials and people there.
He had written on his social media ‘Truth Social’, “Leaving the innovative and vibrant nation of Malaysia. Important agreements were signed on trade and rare earth elements, and a historic peace treaty was concluded between Thailand and Cambodia. Peace, not war! Millions of lives were saved – being able to do this work is a matter of pride for me. Now, I’m off to Japan!”
During the conference of Asian nations (ASEAN Summit) on October 25, President Trump held his first telephone conversation with Japan’s new Prime Minister Takaichi. According to the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office, in the approximately 10-minute long dialogue, both leaders emphasized enhancing bilateral relations, regional stability, and cooperation.
President Trump congratulated Prime Minister Takaichi on her historic victory and reaffirmed that strengthening the Japan-US alliance is his highest priority. He said, “Japan is an ally at the core of our Indo-Pacific strategic partnership.”
In response, Prime Minister Takaichi described the relationship with the US as an ‘indispensable partnership in the Indo-Pacific region’ and expressed her desire to work together with President Trump to realize the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). Furthermore, she praised Trump’s leadership in making the West Asia peace treaty possible and requested continued US cooperation on the issue of the abduction victims.
Both leaders expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming meeting. Prime Minister Takaichi stated that she is eager to welcome Trump to Japan, while President Trump also conveyed that he is looking forward to meeting her in person. President Trump’s current three-day visit to Japan is the first such visit in almost six years.
According to Kyodo News, this visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and the long-term alliance. Prime Minister Takaichi made history earlier this month by becoming Japan’s first female prime minister. She won the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on October 4th and was officially elected Prime Minister in the subsequent parliamentary vote, securing 237 out of 465 votes.
According to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, President Trump is scheduled to meet Japan’s Emperor Naruhito during his visit. He described this occasion as a ‘historic moment to further strengthen the Japan-US alliance’. Prime Minister Takaichi, known for her conservative ideology and firm security policies, is often compared to the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe had established a close relationship with Trump during his first term in 2017. President Trump, who returned to the White House for his second term in January, last visited Japan in 2019 to participate in the G-20 summit held in Osaka.
This direct contact of President Trump with the new administration under Takaichi’s leadership signals adding new heights to the Japan-US relationship and continuing to strengthen regional stability and strategic partnership.
