Japanese government tenses over Trump's 'ally' remarks at US-China summit

(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Cho Sung-mi = The Japanese government appears to be busy responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's remark during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the U.S. and China were 'allies' during World War II, by engaging in communication to understand the U.S.'s true intentions.

Inside the Japanese government, they reacted calmly, believing that it was unlikely that the United States would make major concessions to China on issues such as Taiwan during this meeting, but they also seemed to be keenly aware of the possibility that the remarks could be used in China's propaganda war against Japan.

In his welcoming speech to President Xi before the summit held at the White House in Washington, D.C. on the 24th (local time), President Trump called China an "ally during World War II" and mentioned American volunteers who fought against Japan.

In his speech at the state dinner held on the same day, President Xi also emphasized, "More than 80 years ago, the people of both countries fought shoulder to shoulder against the Japanese militarist invaders," and added, "This friendship, forged in blood and fire, will surely be passed down from generation to generation."

In particular, within the Japanese government, an atmosphere of bewilderment was seen that President Trump mentioned past history before President Xi.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office on the night of the 26th and announced that she had a 20-minute phone call with President Trump where she received a detailed explanation of the contents of the US-China summit and emphasized the closeness of the US-Japan relationship.

Prime Minister Takaichi said, "I exchanged opinions with President Trump focusing on various issues related to China, including the economy and security, and confirmed cooperation between the United States and Japan."

He mentioned that the two leaders looked back on the history of the U.S. and Chinese governments fighting together as allies during World War II, and emphasized, "I told (President Trump) that the U.S. and Japan have now become each other's most trustworthy allies."

He added, "The United States and Japan have decided to work together to contribute to world peace and stability."

Prime Minister Takaichi also had a phone meeting with President Trump right after the US-China summit last May.

Within the Japanese government, even if the U.S.-China relationship becomes closer, competition between the two countries over semiconductors will continue, and there is also an opinion that there is little chance of a crack in the U.S.-Japan relationship, which cooperates extensively in economic and security fields.

A high-ranking official from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told local media that "the US-China summit is within the expected range."

Another Japanese government official also commented, "Under the current situation, the actual results of US-China cooperation are close to zero."

There is also an assessment that President Trump's mention of past alliances may be at the level of 'lip service' for negotiations with China.

However, the Nippon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) pointed out that in terms of historical awareness, the risk of President Trump being dragged into China's propaganda war against Japan cannot be denied.

The Yomiuri Shimbun also wrote in an editorial, "It is very unfortunate that the US-China summit was used as a propaganda ground for China's criticism of Japan."

It is reported that the Japanese government plans to strengthen solidarity by attempting to contact the United States at various levels ahead of the next U.S.-China summit, which is expected to be held twice more within the year.