Prime Minister Takaichi meets with Trump to improve understanding of China

[New York Current Affairs] On the 22nd, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had his fourth face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump since taking office in New York, and the two aimed to refine their perceptions of China ahead of the US-China summit meeting on the 24th. However, it is unclear how far Japan was able to clarify its position during the 30-minute meeting. Details of the exchange regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) issue, which has attracted the attention of many countries, were not disclosed.

Japan and the US strengthen alliance with China in mind, cooperate on AI, semiconductors, and important minerals - Prime Minister Takaichi mentions ICC issue, summit meeting

“Thanks to Donald and my leadership, we are working together.” The prime minister, who met Trump for the first time in three months, spoke to him by his first name, highlighting the honeymoon between the two. Looking back on the recent cabinet reshuffle, he said, ``It was a major reshuffle,'' and introduced the continued appointment of Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Mogi, who was also present, by saying, ``Don't worry. Your counterparts have remained in office.''

Trump will welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington on the 23rd for their second meeting this year. Amid reports that the Republican Party will struggle in the November mid-term elections, there is a possibility that Trump, who wants to highlight his diplomatic record, may rush to make a ``deal,'' and his top priority for the prime minister's visit to the United States was to nail down Japan's concerns in advance so as not to leave them behind.

Trump also appears to have positioned this meeting as an "important meeting" (according to a senior White House official). Mr. Trump only held formal summit meetings with the leaders of four countries on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly: Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine. U.S. government officials point out that Trump wanted to use his meeting with Takaichi, whose relationship with China has cooled, as leverage to gain an advantage in U.S.-China talks.

Some believe that Mr. Trump paid favors to Mr. Takaichi in order to extract concessions in Japan-US negotiations regarding increased defense spending and investment in the United States. At the beginning of the meeting, Trump did not forget to say, ``You will leave your mark on history as the prime minister of Japan.''

At the meeting, the two sides confirmed that they would promote cooperation in a wide range of fields. Given that a U.S. government source said that the "meeting was as long as a standing conversation," a source accompanying the Prime Minister said with relief, "The atmosphere was more relaxed than ever. We were able to show the world the strength of the Japan-U.S. alliance at the perfect time."

However, if you factor in the time spent interpreting, the meeting only lasted about 15 minutes. There is a possibility that Mr. Trump will meet with Mr. Xi in November and December in conjunction with international conferences, and Japanese and US diplomatic sources remain cautious, saying, ``We cannot deny the possibility that Mr. Trump will be inclined toward a deal.''

In his general debate speech on the 22nd, Trump criticized the ICC, calling it a "rogue agency." Although he called on member countries to withdraw, the prime minister did not mention in his speech the US government's sanctions against ICC Director Tomoko Akane. Regarding the discussions at the Japan-U.S. summit meeting, the Japanese government only explains that ``frank exchanges took place.''

During meetings between Trump and other countries' leaders, it is customary for Trump to engage in an endless question-and-answer session with reporters. However, when Mr. Takaichi attended the meeting on the 22nd, he stopped taking pictures and said, ``Let's start the talks now,'' as if to prevent this. There are speculations that reporters asked questions about the ICC to avoid highlighting the differences in the positions of the two leaders.