Trump meets with Sanae Takaichi at the United Nations to focus on security and technological cooperation with China

U.S. President Trump and Takaichi Sanae held a closed-door meeting for about 30 minutes on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (September 22). Before the meeting, the two complimented each other in front of the camera. Trump called Takaichi "my friend" and said she "will go down as one of the great prime ministers."

Takaichi Sanae thanked Trump in Japanese for his commitment to the Japan-US alliance. She said: "In the context of an increasingly severe security environment, including changes in the security environment in Asia in recent years, I hope to seize this opportunity to show the world the resilience of our alliance."

Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tadashi Ozaki said that Takaichi Sanae and Trump discussed issues such as China's economy and security. He declined to say whether the two leaders talked about Taiwan, but said that both sides agreed to promote "strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance," including talking about Japan's plan to expand its military power.

On the economic front, Ozaki Tadashi pointed out that the leaders of Japan and the United States confirmed that they will strengthen economic cooperation and "strive to gain advantages in technological competition in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals."

Takaichi Sanae said on Wednesday (23rd) that she had had a timely exchange of views with Trump on China-China issues.

This is Sanae Takaichi’s first meeting with Trump in six months since he visited Washington in March this year. As Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Washington from the 23rd to the 25th, Tokyo is seeking to ensure that Trump listens to Japan's opinions and to observe how this special meeting with Xi may affect Japan's relations with the United States and China.

Speech at the United Nations General Assembly in Gao City calls for the abolition of the "enemy clause"

After meeting with Trump, Sanae Takaichi delivered his first speech as prime minister at the United Nations General Assembly on the 22nd, calling for the deletion of the "enemy clause" in the United Nations Charter in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.

Sanae Takaichi pointed out in his speech that the current structure of the United Nations Security Council reflects the international situation in 1945, and therefore "urgently needs reform" to respond to the actual current situation of the international community. Citing Russia's military actions abroad as an example, she questioned that the Security Council "has not played its role in maintaining international peace."

The so-called "enemy clauses" mainly refer to Articles 53, 77, and 107 of the United Nations Charter that deal with the defeated countries in World War II. Relevant provisions allow regional organizations or countries to directly respond with military action without authorization from the United Nations Security Council when an "enemy country" launches aggression.

As the defeated countries in World War II, Germany and Japan have long advocated deleting the enemy clause. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in 2005 expressing its determination to delete the wording "enemy state" in the United Nations Charter. However, due to complicated procedures, the revision has not been completed until this year.

The Chinese government maintains that the "enemy clause" is still in effect today. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on September 8 that the "enemy clause" is a special institutional arrangement to safeguard the post-war international order. Japan joined the United Nations when it recognized nationalist crimes and accepted the contents of the "United Nations Charter." Now it calls the clause "obsolete" and intends to "deny its history of aggression" and "challenge the post-war international order."

U.S., Japan and South Korea joint statement mentions Taiwan Strait

Previously, US Secretary of State Rubio met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in New York on Monday (21st).

After the meeting, the three countries issued a joint statement, in which the United States reiterated its defense commitment to Japan and South Korea and firmly opposed China's "economic coercion and non-market policies and practices."

According to the statement, the U.S. Secretary of State and the foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They encouraged the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan Strait issue and expressed "support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations."

Reuters quoted analysts as saying that U.S. allies are worried that when Trump receives Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday, he may make concessions on Taiwan and trade issues in order to achieve economic results with Beijing.

In response to the statement, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the three countries once again publicly supported the maintenance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, showing that security in the Taiwan Strait has become a "strong consensus" of the international community.