Without naming her, Trump calls Takaichi ‘person of great wisdom and strength’
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday described Japan’s likely first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, as a “highly respected person of great wisdom and strength.”
In his brief social media post, without naming her, Trump congratulated Takaichi and the “incredible people of Japan” after the country’s ruling party elected her as its new leader on Saturday.
Later, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent likewise congratulated Takaichi on becoming the Liberal Democratic Party’s new president, saying he agreed with Trump that it was “incredible news” and expressing hope to work with her cabinet on “economic and national security issues of mutual interest.”
“She has shown herself to be a strong leader, policy maker and communicator throughout her impressive career, and will be a valuable partner in deepening the relationship between Japan and the United States,” Bessent wrote in his X post.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that “Japan has just elected its first female Prime Minister,” but Takaichi, 64, will only become the country’s next prime minister, replacing Shigeru Ishiba, after a parliamentary vote in mid-October.
Takaichi, a staunch conservative, shares many of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s views on history, national security and the economy.
During his first term, Trump had one of the best personal relationships with Abe among world leaders.
In late October, Trump is scheduled to leave for his first trip to Asia since returning to the White House in January. The trip is expected to include a stop in Japan and he is likely to hold talks with Ishiba’s successor.
At the outset of a press briefing on Monday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, “The president also wanted me to relay his congratulations to Japan for electing their next prime minister, a highly respected person, who also happens to be the first female to hold the position for our great ally.”
Meanwhile, during an event held earlier in the day to analyze the outcome of the LDP leadership election, Kristi Govella, Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said she did not expect the basic direction of Japanese foreign policy to change significantly.
She said Takaichi is likely to “continue prioritizing stable relations with the U.S.,” as Japan faces ongoing security threats from China, North Korea and Russia.
Govella, also serving as a senior adviser at the Washington-based think tank, added that she expects the United States and Japan to further discuss the future of burden-sharing within the decades-old defense alliance and their economic relationship.