As Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi scheduled her visit to the United States, she had two key objectives. The first was to use her landslide victory in national parliamentary elections to confirm and strengthen relations with U.S. President Donald Trump. The second was to use that partnership to beat back Chinese pressure on Japan that has intensified in recent months.
The purpose of the trip has been transformed in the wake of the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. Pressure on Tokyo from Washington to do more to address shared defense concerns has intensified, especially as Iran has tried to close the Strait of Hormuz. It looks like Takaichi has successfully defused that issue.
Similarly, ensuring that Japan and the U.S. are aligned on China has become easier since Trump postponed his trip to Beijing, first scheduled for mid-April and now pushed back several weeks because of the war. China’s refusal to help the U.S. deal with the fallout from its attack has transformed the context in which the visit will occur, although Trump’s desire to forge a positive relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping will help overcome any strains that are introduced. Still, despite concerns before her departure, the visit must be called a success.
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