Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed on the evening of May 15 that U.S. President Donald Trump called her directly from Air Force One shortly after departing China, offering a detailed personal account of what was discussed during his Beijing visit.
The call, which Takaichi described as "a very productive exchange," covered a broad range of China-related topics including bilateral economic ties, conventional security, and economic security cooperation. Both leaders also committed to sustained, close communication on Indo-Pacific regional developments.
Taiwan Question Draws a Non-Answer
The most pointed moment came when reporters pressed Takaichi on whether Taiwan's situation had featured in the Trump-China talks. She declined to answer directly. Instead, she circled back to the same framing she had used throughout the briefing — that the two leaders had exchanged views on "China-related matters" and the broader Indo-Pacific landscape.
The careful sidestep was not lost on observers. For a region watching every signal from Washington closely, the absence of a clear statement on Taiwan — amid an already high-stakes Trump visit to Beijing — carries its own weight.
Iran and the Hormuz Question
Beyond the China-focused agenda, Takaichi said the two leaders also addressed the situation in Iran. She told Trump that Japan's foremost concern is bringing tensions down as quickly as possible, and reaffirmed that Tokyo and Washington would maintain continuous dialogue on the issue.
A separate question from reporters probed whether Trump had raised Japan's role in securing safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Takaichi's response was measured: Trump had briefed her on the call with the explicit understanding that specifics would not be made public. She did, however, reveal one detail — that the U.S. side acknowledged Japan had provided "very significant assistance," and that she expressed her appreciation accordingly. She declined to go further.
Alliance Reaffirmed Ahead of G7
Takaichi closed her remarks on an upbeat note, saying both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the Japan-U.S. alliance and that she and Trump looked forward to meeting in person at next month's G7 summit.
The call underscores how closely Tokyo is watching the diplomatic fallout of Trump's China visit — and how carefully Japanese officials are calibrating what they say, and what they choose not to. （Related： Stephen Owen, Who Brought Classical Chinese Poetry to the Western World, Dies at 79 ｜ Latest ）
