Japan's PM Takaichi Touts 'Very Strong Ties' With US After Trump-Xi Meeting

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan maintains "very strong ties" with the United States, speaking after US President Donald Trump hosted a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Anadolu Agency.

Takaichi declined to comment directly on the substance of the Trump-Xi meeting, telling reporters she had "no comment" on the discussions between the two leaders, Anadolu reported.

The report did not specify the date or location of Takaichi's remarks, nor did it provide additional detail on the agenda or outcomes of the Trump-Xi meeting itself. Japan has historically sought to balance its position as a close security ally of the United States with its significant economic relationship with China, its largest trading partner alongside the US, making high-level meetings between Washington and Beijing a matter of close interest for Tokyo.

Takaichi, who became prime minister after winning her party's leadership contest, has generally signaled continuity with previous Japanese governments' emphasis on the US-Japan security alliance as the cornerstone of the country's foreign policy, while also navigating tensions with China over regional security issues, including in the East China Sea and around Taiwan.

Her reluctance to comment on the specifics of the Trump-Xi meeting may reflect a broader diplomatic caution common among allied governments when discussing bilateral US-China engagements that could affect their own interests, though the report did not include any additional context from Japanese officials on this point.

Further reaction from the Japanese government or details of any upcoming meetings between Takaichi and either Trump or Xi were not included in the available reporting.