Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has successfully debuted on the diplomatic stage, holding summits with leaders of the United States, China, and South Korea just 12 days after taking office. Her proactive approach at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum drew attention, fostering warm rapport with U.S. President Donald Trump. China protested her meeting with Taiwan's representative.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office on October 21 and traveled to Malaysia four days later to attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related summit, where she met leaders of Australia and the Philippines to advance security cooperation.
Her meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday drew particular attention. Takaichi appeared nervous at the start but enlivened the conversation with topics related to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, an ally to both. During their visit to the U.S. Naval Base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, they addressed each other as Sanae and Donald. After returning home, Trump posted on social media, “I am more confident than ever that the friendship between the United States and Japan is strong.”
At the APEC summit on Friday, Takaichi met Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi's expression softened when Takaichi greeted him with a smile in the waiting room. In South Korea, President Lee Jae Myung praised her realistic stance at a Saturday press conference, saying her actions “will be and should be” different as prime minister than as a politician. “I am no longer worried,” he added. South Korean media favorably reported that Takaichi bowed to the South Korean national flag.
On Saturday, she held talks with Taiwan's APEC representative, Lin Hsin-i. Takaichi expressed a desire to deepen Japan-Taiwan cooperation and exchanges, stressing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Lin hoped the Japan-Taiwan relationship would grow stronger. Takaichi posted about the meeting and a prior greeting on Friday on her X account. China's Foreign Ministry stated on Sunday that the posts would give the wrong impression to Taiwan independence supporters and have major ramifications, lodging a firm protest with Tokyo and asserting that Taiwan is a domestic matter foundational to Japan-China relations.
At a press conference in Gyeongju, Takaichi said with satisfaction, “I managed to steadily take steps to broaden the horizons of Japanese diplomacy.” A senior Foreign Ministry official noted that the series of meetings achieved nearly a year's worth of diplomatic results. However, challenges persist, including an uncertain roadmap for Japan's pledged $550 billion investment in the U.S. and ongoing intrusions by Chinese government vessels into Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. Takaichi stated, “I would like to use a series of meetings as the chance to tackle various issues,” as her diplomatic skills face testing ahead.