In an unusual move of international political endorsement, former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly thrown his support behind Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi just days before Japan’s snap parliamentary election. Trump utilized his Truth Social platform on Thursday to applaud Takaichi as “a strong, powerful, and wise leader… one that truly loves her country,” expressing confidence that “she will not let the people of Japan down.”
This endorsement continues Trump’s pattern of backing foreign leaders who align with his political vision, following recent support for Argentina’s Javier Milei and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. The relationship between Takaichi and Trump has strengthened significantly since her assumption of office in October, marked by substantial diplomatic engagements.
The bilateral relationship faced early challenges when Trump threatened imposing 25% tariffs on Japanese imports, a situation that was resolved through a July agreement wherein Japan committed to investing $550 billion in the United States in exchange for reduced import levies of 15%.
Takaichi’s administration rolled out an exceptionally warm welcome for Trump during his visit to Tokyo just one week after she took office, featuring a full military honor guard and band performance at Akasaka Palace, the government’s official guesthouse. The two leaders signed a significant rare earths agreement and a document proclaiming a new “golden age” in U.S.-Japan relations, with Takaichi describing Trump as a “partner in a new golden era” and praising his Middle East peace efforts.
Trump’s endorsement highlighted progress in national security cooperation and economic collaboration between the two nations, while simultaneously announcing plans to host Takaichi at the White House on March 19th.
The political backdrop to this endorsement includes complex geopolitical tensions, particularly regarding Taiwan. Trump’s show of support for Takaichi comes merely one day after his telephone discussion with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, wherein both leaders acknowledged the importance of maintaining positive relations. During their conversation, Xi emphasized Taiwan as “the most important issue” in Sino-American relations, explicitly stating that Taiwan is “China’s territory” and urging Washington to exercise prudence regarding weapons sales to the self-governed island.
Takaichi has been at the center of escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing, which have reached their lowest point in over a decade. In November, she drew Beijing’s ire by suggesting Japan might deploy its self-defense forces should China attack Taiwan, highlighting the complex regional dynamics that shape her leadership approach.