Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and US President Donald Trump have held a summit to reaffirm cooperation on defense and economic security issues.
The two leaders are in New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
The summit on Tuesday lasted more than 30 minutes.
At the beginning, Trump said, “The industry in Japan is doing very well. The country is doing very well. Very big improvement, and it’s an honor to be with her. She’s a friend of mine. We got to know each other very well over the last period of time, and she’s going to be a great prime minister.”
Takaichi responded she’d like to seize the opportunity to demonstrate to the world the strength of their alliance. She adds that economic-security cooperation has been advancing in areas such as AI, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
On the economic front, Takaichi noted that Japan has been the largest investor in the United States for seven consecutive years. The two leaders also affirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral economic ties.
Turning to regional affairs, they exchanged views on various issues involving China, including economic security, with Trump’s upcoming summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled on Thursday in mind. They agreed to continue working closely together.
Takaichi also raised the issue of the International Criminal Court. The Trump administration is taking a tough stance on the ICC. The two leaders had a frank exchange of views, with Takaichi outlining Japan’s position emphasizing the rule of law.
On North Korea, they reaffirmed the need to work together to address its nuclear and missile programs.
The two leaders also exchanged views on international financial conditions.