“Very open and cordial.” That was how Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described her talks with Donald Trump in New York on Tuesday, the first day of her United Nations General Assembly visit. By her count it was the fourth time she had met the US president since the G7 summit in Evian in June.
The day did not stop there. She also sat down with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, each meeting pressing a different Japanese priority.
Technology, tariffs and the abductions
Takaichi said on X that she and Trump confirmed cooperation “to win the technology competition and enhance resilience in fields such as AI, semiconductors, and critical minerals.” They also reaffirmed the importance of steadily carrying out the Japan-US tariff agreement. The two exchanged views frankly, she said, on “issues including China and North Korea.”
She pressed one issue personally. “In particular, regarding the abduction issue, to which I am personally committed with determination, I once again emphasised the importance of its immediate resolution and received his full support,” she said. Security, the economy and the Indo-Pacific were on the agenda too, along with views on the International Criminal Court.
“Through close engagement with President Trump, we aim to elevate the Japan-U.S. alliance to even greater heights,” she added. The White House posted a photo of the pair on X, saying they were “furthering the strong alliance between the USA and Japan.”
Zelenskyy and Guterres
The meeting with Zelenskyy was their first since Evian. Takaichi said she told him she respects the Ukrainian people “standing up for the peace of their homeland” and that all countries must unite behind Ukraine to reach a “just and lasting peace” quickly. Japan’s policy is unchanged, she said, and Tokyo will keep working on support for Ukraine and on sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy thanked Japan and described Ukraine’s current initiatives.
With Guterres, who had visited Japan in May, the talk turned to reform. Takaichi said she confirmed cooperation on the UN80 Initiative and told him that Security Council reform, expanding both permanent and non-permanent seats, is “indispensable.” She repeated Japan’s request for more Japanese nationals in UN-affiliated organisations. Guterres thanked Japan for its support of UN activities and said he expects Japan to contribute to reform efforts, according to Takaichi. She also reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to multilateralism centred on the United Nations.
Sources
- Trump Meets Leaders of Japan, UK, Ukraine at UN Summit
- China, North Korea concerns with Trump, support for Ukraine, UNSC reform push with Guterres drive first day for Japan PM at UNGA – The Tribune
