How Japan’s New Prime Minister Won Trump Over During His Visit

SUMMARY

WSJ Tokyo Bureau Chief Jason Douglas details Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's summit with President Trump, overcoming trade and defense tensions to forge a 'golden age' in U.S.-Japan relations.

STATEMENTS

Initial anxiety surrounded the summit due to U.S.-Japan disagreements on trade and defense spending requirements for allies.
President Trump received a warm welcome in Japan, including a 30-minute audience with the emperor to rekindle their friendship.
The summit between Trump and Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, proceeded remarkably well despite recent strains.
Trump lavishly praised Takaichi, predicting she would become one of Japan's greatest prime ministers and offering full U.S. support.
Discussions focused on trade and security, with Trump commending Takaichi's commitment to boosting Japanese defense spending.
Takaichi, a security hawk mentored by Shinzo Abe, pledged to accelerate defense spending to 2% of GDP by fiscal year's end.
Japan has placed significant orders for U.S. weapons, including missiles for F-35 aircraft, which Trump highlighted.
The leaders visited the USS George Washington, where Takaichi addressed U.S. troops, emphasizing Japan's role in Pacific defense.
They signed a pledge for a 'golden age' in relations, clarifying a $550 billion Japanese investment in U.S. projects like AI and infrastructure.
The summit evoked Trump’s close bond with the late Shinzo Abe, with Takaichi presenting Abe's putter as a gesture of continuity.

IDEAS

Japan's choice of Sanae Takaichi as its first female prime minister signals a shift toward stronger security-focused leadership in the region.
Recreating the Trump-Abe rapport through personal gestures, like gifting Abe's putter, can swiftly rebuild strained alliances.
Accelerating defense spending to 2% of GDP positions Japan as a more proactive Pacific defender amid rising geopolitical tensions.
A $550 billion investment pledge from Japan into U.S. sectors like AI and energy transforms trade disputes into collaborative opportunities.
Inviting a foreign leader to address U.S. troops on an aircraft carrier underscores evolving alliance dynamics and mutual respect.
Trump's effusive praise for Takaichi as a 'winner' highlights how personal chemistry can override policy frictions in diplomacy.
Japan's big purchases of U.S. weapons, such as F-35 missiles, exemplify how military procurement strengthens bilateral ties economically.
The 'golden age' pledge provides concrete project lists involving joint companies, reducing uncertainty in massive international deals.
Takaichi's hawkish stance, inherited from Abe, could redefine Japan's pacifist constitution in response to threats like those in the Pacific.
Visiting the Imperial Palace and emperor early in the trip emphasizes cultural diplomacy's role in warming high-stakes political meetings.
Uncertainty in trade deals can be resolved through public ministry lists detailing investments, fostering transparency in alliances.
Trump's offer of unconditional aid to Japan reveals a strategic pivot toward viewing allies as indispensable partners rather than burdens.

INSIGHTS

Personal relationships, like the Trump-Abe bond, serve as blueprints for sustaining alliances through successors, blending sentiment with strategy.
Committing to rapid defense hikes, such as 2% GDP, not only appeases allies but empowers a nation to assert greater regional influence.
Mega-investments in tech like AI can alchemize trade tensions into symbiotic growth, benefiting economies on both sides.
Symbolic gestures, from handshakes to gifts, humanize diplomacy, making abstract policies feel immediate and trustworthy.
Allowing allied leaders to speak to troops builds morale and signals shared commitment, fortifying collective defense postures.
Clarity in massive pledges via detailed project lists prevents deal breakdowns, turning vague promises into actionable partnerships.

QUOTES

"Anytime you have any question, any doubt, anything you want, any favors you need, anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there. We are an ally at the strongest level."
"This woman is a winner, so, you know, we've become-"
"I have such respect for Japan as a country, and now I have a really great respect for the new and incredible prime minister. I have to say this, the first female prime minister in the history of Japan. Madame Prime Minister."
"Well, I want to thank you very much and I want to congratulate you. As you know, Shinzo Abe was a great friend of mine."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. President."

HABITS

FACTS

Sanae Takaichi is Japan's first female prime minister, appointed last week.
Japan aims to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP by the end of the fiscal year.
The U.S.-Japan trade deal involves a $550 billion Japanese investment in American projects.
The USS George Washington is a key U.S. aircraft carrier stationed in Japan for Pacific operations.
Japan has ordered missiles specifically for its F-35 fighter jets from the U.S.
Shinzo Abe mentored Takaichi and shared a close friendship with Donald Trump.

REFERENCES

Shinzo Abe (late Japanese prime minister, mentor to Takaichi, Trump's friend; his putter gifted to Trump).
USS George Washington (U.S. aircraft carrier stationed in Japan).
F-35 (U.S. fighter jet with Japanese missile orders).
Imperial Palace and Japanese emperor (site of Trump's audience).
Ministry of Finance (published list of joint projects in AI, infrastructure, energy).

HOW TO APPLY

Assess alliance strains early, such as trade and defense disputes, to prepare diplomatic strategies that emphasize mutual benefits.
Use personal gestures, like gifting mementos from past leaders, to evoke nostalgia and build instant rapport during summits.
Commit publicly to policy shifts, such as increasing defense budgets to specific targets like 2% of GDP, to demonstrate resolve.
Organize joint visits to military assets, like aircraft carriers, allowing allied leaders to address troops for symbolic unity.
Publish detailed project lists for investments, specifying sectors like AI and energy, to clarify commitments and involve companies.
Praise counterparts effusively in public to personalize diplomacy and signal strong bilateral support.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Trump and Takaichi's summit heralds a golden age for U.S.-Japan ties via boosted defense and clarified trade investments.

RECOMMENDATIONS

MEMO

In a diplomatic triumph amid lingering trade frictions, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi forged a renewed alliance during a summit in Tokyo. Arriving to a warm reception, Trump first met Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace, rekindling old ties before diving into talks with Takaichi—Japan's first female leader and a protégé of the late Shinzo Abe. Despite anxieties over U.S. demands for higher Japanese defense outlays, the pair connected instantly, with Trump hailing Takaichi as a future "greatest of all time" prime minister and pledging unwavering support.

The agenda centered on security and commerce, spotlighting Takaichi's hawkish pledge to ramp up defense spending to 2% of GDP by year's end—a move echoing Abe's vision. Trump spotlighted Japan's hefty U.S. arms purchases, including F-35 missiles, while the leaders toured the USS George Washington, Japan's pivotal Pacific naval asset. There, Takaichi rousing addressed cheering U.S. sailors, vowing Japan's expanded role in regional defense, a rare honor that underscored deepening interoperability.

Sealing the visit, they endorsed a "golden age" pledge, clarifying a $550 billion Japanese infusion into American ventures in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and energy. A Ministry of Finance document outlined participating firms, easing prior ambiguities. Evoking Abe's ghost—through fond reminiscences and even his gifted golf putter—the summit positioned Takaichi as a seamless successor, potentially stabilizing Indo-Pacific dynamics against broader uncertainties.