A White House photo of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appearing to dance at an official function sparked mockery on Chinese social media over the weekend, with commenters calling her Washington’s biggest cheerleader. It was her first trip to Washington since taking office in October.
A White House photo of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appearing to break into a dance at an official function—with both fists pumped high and mouth wide open as a band plays behind her—ignited a wave of mockery across Chinese social media on the weekend, with commenters framing her as Washington’s biggest cheerleader. The image sharply contrasts with the formal White House photos of Trump’s recent meetings with the president of Ukraine and the prime minister of Israel. This was Takaichi’s first trip to Washington since taking office in October. In Japan, some commenters criticised her demeanour as servile, accusing her of “sycophantic diplomacy” inconsistent with the dignified approach expected of a head of state. The South China Morning Post article, published on 2026-03-22, highlights reactions on platforms like Weibo and Douyin.
