President Donald Trump has offered a personal assurance of support to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who recently provoked a diplomatic row with China over Taiwan, signaling a complex U.S. balancing act in East Asia.
During their first telephone conversation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Takaichi said President Trump told her, “You can call me anytime.” She added that Trump described them as “very good friends.”
The call followed Takaichi’s earlier, unprepared comments in parliament this month. She had stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Japan.
Her remarks drew a strong rebuke from Beijing, which issued a travel warning for its citizens planning to visit Japan. China claims sovereignty over self-governed Taiwan, located just 100 kilometers from Japanese territory.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claims. It asserts that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future. China has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Before his call with Takaichi, Trump had remained publicly silent on the burgeoning dispute between two key U.S. partners. This silence had caused some concern among Japanese officials, according to analysts.
Takaichi also revealed that Trump discussed the current state of U.S.-China relations. This included his separate call on Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During that conversation, President Xi reportedly told Trump that Taiwan’s “return to China” is a vital component of Beijing’s vision for the global order.
Following his talk with Xi, Trump posted on Truth Social, noting progress in trade negotiations. He described relations with China as “extremely strong” but did not mention any discussion about Taiwan.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara later stated that stable U.S.-China relations are “extremely important for the international community, including Japan.” However, he declined to comment on President Xi’s specific remarks regarding Taiwan.
In recent years, Japan has pursued a historic military buildup, backed by the United States, in response to China’s growing power in the region.
On Monday, China criticized Japan’s plan to deploy a medium-range surface-to-air missile unit on Yonaguni Island, which is the closest Japanese island to Taiwan. Beijing called this move an attempt to “create regional tensions and provoke military confrontation.”
Japan also scrambled fighter jets on Monday after detecting a Chinese drone flying between Yonaguni Island and Taiwan.
Analysts suggest that relations between Japan and China may face a “long winter” under Prime Minister Takaichi’s leadership. She is a popular hardline nationalist who took office last month.