Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi departed for New York on the night of September 21 to attend the United Nations General Assembly. On September 22 local time, she is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to coordinate China policy ahead of the U.S.-China summit two days later. Japan is concerned that President Trump may prioritize economic benefits and make concessions to China on issues such as Taiwan.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, Takaichi took a government plane from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to New York. During the summit, she is expected to share concerns with President Trump regarding China's hegemonic actions and reaffirm the U.S.-Japan alliance.
The Asahi Shimbun reported that the White House announced on September 18 that President Trump would meet with Takaichi on September 22. After delivering a speech at the UN General Assembly that morning, Trump will meet with Takaichi before his scheduled talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on September 24. A senior White House official stated, "Japan is a very important ally," adding that the meeting is particularly significant ahead of Xi's visit to the U.S.
Japan is closely monitoring how far President Trump is willing to compromise in negotiations with China. The Asahi reported that the Japanese government aims to share its understanding of China policy with Trump before the U.S.-China summit to prevent concessions on Taiwan and other issues, especially with the midterm elections approaching in November.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) noted that Takaichi plans to convey Japan's concerns regarding security dynamics in East Asia, including the Taiwan Strait, and China's export restrictions on rare earth materials. She is expected to explain Japan's position regarding the deteriorating Japan-China relations since her remarks in the Diet last November concerning Taiwan.
The implications of U.S.-China negotiations could also affect Japan. The Nikkei pointed out that if the U.S. and China engage in trade-offs over international norms for artificial intelligence (AI) or rare earth export regulations, Japan's industries and security could be jeopardized.
Japan may also face additional demands from the U.S. for increased defense spending. The U.S. is urging its allies to raise defense budgets to about 3.5% of their GDP. The Nikkei reported that Japan's defense spending and the sharing of costs for U.S. forces in Japan could be on the agenda for this meeting.
With revisions to three key security documents expected by the end of the year, it is difficult for Japan to specify the exact amount of defense spending at this time. Therefore, Takaichi plans to emphasize that Japan's promised $550 billion investment contributes to the U.S. economy and employment. The Japanese government intends to work with companies to improve oil-related infrastructure and AI power generation facilities in the U.S. This strategy aims to explain Japan's investment and defense enhancement policies to mitigate additional burden requests, according to the Nikkei.
Interest rates and exchange rates are also variables. The Yomiuri reported that the U.S. government is concerned about rising long-term interest rates in Japan and the weakening yen, which may lead to requests regarding Takaichi's cabinet's fiscal and monetary policies during the meeting.
On the night of September 22, Takaichi will deliver her first speech at the UN General Assembly since taking office. According to the Yomiuri, she expressed her desire to advocate for the rule of law and the need for UN reform, mentioning the issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens and climate change measures.
The Nikkei reported that Takaichi is also expected to deliver a message aimed at China during her speech. She will highlight growing concerns over "arbitrary export restrictions" related to energy and resources and propose international cooperation to reduce excessive dependence on specific countries. Additionally, she will outline Japan's plans to independently promote the improvement of stockpiling systems and the development of alternative supply sources.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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