U.S. President Donald Trump expressed feeling honored after Japan's ruling party under Sanae Takaichi secured a major election victory. He believes his public endorsement helped boost her vote count. He is preparing to welcome her to the White House this March before traveling on to Beijing.
President Donald Trump spoke in an interview aboard Air Force One, praising Sanae Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, as an "excellent leader." He noted that in the general election on 8 February, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won two-thirds of the House of Representatives seats, marking one of the highest vote tallies in Japan's post-war history.
Trump also revealed that Takaichi credited his support as a key factor in her victory. Just three days before the election, Trump posted on social media his full endorsement of Takaichi and the coalition government. Takaichi responded with a thank-you post on the X platform, affirming her readiness to work with Trump to foster prosperity and peace between the two nations.
The White House stated that Trump is scheduled to welcome Takaichi in Washington, D.C., on 19 March, prior to his planned visit to Beijing in April to meet with President Xi Jinping.
Beyond Japan, Trump addressed media questions about relations with China and arms sales to Taiwan. He said he has a good relationship with Xi Jinping and that they have discussed key issues including trade, Taiwan, and Iran. Regarding the arms sales to Taiwan, Trump said, "I am talking with Xi Jinping and a decision will be made soon."
However, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan is the most critical "red line" in bilateral relations and urged the U.S. to handle arms sales to Taiwan cautiously. This came after the Trump administration approved a major arms sale to Taiwan last December, which provoked strong dissatisfaction from China.
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