Takaichi promises to be ‘candid’ with Trump as Iran war hurts Japan

Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Takaichi is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump amid ongoing Middle East tensions. “China,” Heng told AFP—likely highlighting Beijing’s role in regional dynamics.

Trump may focus more on Japan’s $550 billion investment pledge in the U.S., made last year in exchange for reducing threatened 25% tariffs to 15%. These commitments hold despite the U.S. Supreme Court striking down Trump’s global tariffs in February, followed by his new blanket 10% import duty.

Tokyo and Washington had already announced an initial $36 billion tranche for three infrastructure projects before the ruling, with more potentially revealed next week.

“Takaichi will need to leverage the personal rapport she’s built with Trump since last fall to shift his attention from Middle East conflicts and highlight their broader repercussions,” said Sayuri Romei of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund (GMF).

“Notably, she must emphasize Japan’s view of China’s multifaceted threat—not just economic coercion, but a direct security risk,” Romei told AFP.