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Japan PM's US visit criticized

'Fawning diplomacy' draws scrutiny as no clear outcomes secured, experts say

Updated: 2026-03-23 08:59
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US President Donald Trump attends a dinner with Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House on Thursday. JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON/AP

TOKYO — Criticized at home as "fawning diplomacy", Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Washington drew scrutiny after her talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, where she was seen by observers as making repeated concessions while failing to secure clear outcomes on key issues.

No joint statement was issued after the meeting, and remarks from both sides after the talks suggested a lack of consensus on several major economic and security matters, Japanese media and analysts have said.

Takaichi's obsequious manner throughout the talks also left many stunned, placing her in an awkward position in Washington while fueling controversy back home in Japan.

Ahead of Takaichi's visit, the US request to Japan and other countries to send warships to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz sparked domestic pushback in Japan. Media and commentators warned that such a move could overstep Japan's pacifist constitution and potentially draw the country into conflicts in the Middle East.

From the beginning, Takaichi went out of her way to curry favor with the US president in front of the media, yet three awkward incidents followed one after another.

After Trump opened with a welcome, Takaichi attempted to speak in halting English, only switching back to Japanese after Trump said she had "a very good interpreter".

Takaichi also addressed Trump by his first name, "Donald", in what was seen as a gesture of closeness. While acknowledging the severe security situation in the Middle East and the entire world, and its profound impact on the global economy, she simultaneously declared that "only Donald can achieve peace and prosperity across the world".

The remarks quickly drew criticism back in Japan. Many Japanese netizens were blunt in calling her comments "shameful", particularly given the widespread international condemnation over US military strikes on Iran, which critics said violated international law.

Tomoko Tamura, chair of the opposition Japanese Communist Party, said Takaichi uttered not a single word of criticism over the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and instead praised Trump, calling such diplomacy — blindly aligning with the United States — deeply disgraceful.

When a Japanese reporter asked why the United States had not notified allies such as Japan in advance before launching its attack on Iran, Trump invoked Japan's 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, bluntly remarking that "who knows better about surprise (attacks) than Japan". Reacting to the joke, Takaichi widened her eyes in apparent shock and looked visibly embarrassed but offered no verbal response.

US media interpreted this as a reflection of an arrogant contempt for allies, suggesting he deliberately seeks to humiliate or expose the vulnerabilities of his counterparts in order to gain an upper hand in negotiations.

Deadlock remains

The two sides also appeared unable to resolve their differences over the Strait of Hormuz escort issue. After the meeting, Takaichi told the press that she had explained what Japan "can do" and "cannot do" within the legal framework, and that she would maintain close communication with the US side on the matter.

Tetsuo Kotani, a professor at Meikai University, commented that the US administration clearly has no interest in what Japan "cannot do" and may express its displeasure at any moment.

Unable to fully meet the US administration's expectations on dispatching vessels to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Takaichi shifted the focus to economic investment.

During the talks, the two sides confirmed a second batch of projects under a previously pledged $550-billion Japanese investment framework aimed at securing lower US tariffs. These include Japan's plans to invest in next-generation small modular nuclear reactors and natural gas power facilities in the United States, totaling approximately $73 billion.

Takaichi pledged to cooperate with Washington in boosting energy production and increasing Japan's imports of US crude oil to replenish its reserves. Additionally, both sides agreed to collaborate on the development of critical minerals such as rare earths.

However, these commitments have drawn widespread criticism in Japan. Opponents argued that the tariff arrangement is unfair and undermines national interests.

Japanese economist Takashi Kadokura questioned why Japan continues to honor investment pledges tied to tariffs after a US Supreme Court ruling invalidated the "reciprocal tariff" measures. He also said the distribution of returns, where approximately 90 percent of the investment returns go to the US, is clearly unreasonable.

Japanese veteran journalist Jun Yamada warned that expanding investment in the US could harm Japan's own economy, criticizing Takaichi's approach as "selling out national interests" and increasing the burden on taxpayers.

Takaichi also indicated support for closer security alignment with Washington. Speaking to the media after the meeting, she said both sides agreed to advance "broad security cooperation", including the joint development and production of missiles.

Kyodo News reported that Trump welcomed Japan's plans to significantly increase purchases of US military equipment during a dinner following the talks.

Japan has steadily expanded its defense spending and procurement in recent years. In January, the Board of Audit of Japan reviewed the Ministry of Defense's acquisitions under the US Foreign Military Sales program, finding that total contracts between fiscal 2018 and 2023 reached 3.55 trillion yen (about $22 billion), triggering public concern.

Just hours before the summit, more than 10,000 people gathered in Tokyo to protest Japan's military buildup, warning it could destabilize the region and put the country on a dangerous path.

Former senior Foreign Ministry official Hitoshi Tanaka criticized the Takaichi cabinet for pushing constitutional revision, increasing defense spending, and expanding arms exports while "clinging to" and "appeasing" the US in the name of deterrence.

He argued that such an approach is "entirely misguided", stressing that Japan should instead prioritize diplomacy and mechanisms with the neighboring countries to prevent miscalculations and conflicts.

Xinhua

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