By Yuko Mukai

8:00 JST, November 15, 2025

Sanae Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, spent the first 12 days of her tenure racing through meetings with foreign leaders, including those of the United States and China. Takaichi’s diplomatic efforts are widely seen as successful. This is evident from her approval ratings in polls conducted after all the diplomatic events concluded, one of which put her approval as high as 82%. This approval rating immediately after her Cabinet’s formation ranks as the second highest on record, surpassed only by that of the Junichiro Koizumi Cabinet in 2001.

The highlight of this series of diplomatic engagements was likely the visit to Japan by President Donald Trump of the United States, Japan’s only ally. It was particularly symbolic when the president took the prime minister with him to deliver a speech together aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, deployed in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Trump emphasized, “The cherished alliance between the United States and Japan is one of the most remarkable relationships in the entire world.”

In response, Takaichi referred to Trump’s 2019 Yokosuka visit with then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whom she regarded as her political mentor, saying, “Now, as the two commanders-in-chief of Japan and the United States stand together once again, I have renewed my determination to carry forward that resolve and to make the Indo-Pacific free and open so that it will serve as the foundation of peace and prosperity for the entire region.”

Both Tokyo and Washington acknowledged Takaichi’s success. William Chou, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank, stated: “It was a strong debut for Prime Minister Takaichi when she met with President Trump in Tokyo. Their shared policy similarities — strong defense, pro-growth economy, strong borders — and shared affection for former Prime Minister Abe suggested they would get along. But it was clear that the two shared personal chemistry, which bodes well for the working relationship going forward.”

However, after Trump visited South Korea following Japan and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping there, a sense of unease has emerged in Tokyo. This is because Trump described the U.S.-China summit as a........

© The Japan News