Trump invites Japan’s Takaichi to the US this yearAP, WASHINGTONUS President Donald Trump during a phone call on Friday invited Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit the US this year, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in what would be the conservative leader’s first trip to the US since taking office in October last year. Washington is seeking to deepen its ties with Tokyo and stabilize its relationship with Beijing ahead of a likely trip by Trump to China in April. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to the media at her residence in Tokyo on Friday. The ministry said Takaichi and Trump agreed to coordinate for the visit to happen this spring. Takaichi and Trump also agreed on their commitment to promoting cooperation among like-minded partners, including the Japan-US-South Korea partnership, and to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the ministry said.

Source: Taipei Times January 03, 2026 17:13 UTC