Takaichi meets Trump to coordinate efforts to counter China; emphasizes the "rule of law" at the United Nations (UN)

【Financial News, Tokyo—Correspondent Seo Hye-jin】Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will hold a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York on the 22nd. The meeting is aimed at coordinating their policies toward China, including Taiwan, trade and artificial intelligence (AI), ahead of the U.S.-China summit on the 24th. In her address to the UN General Assembly on the same day, she is expected to emphasize the "rule of law" while likely avoiding a direct mention of the United States' sanctions against the Japanese president of the ICC, the International Criminal Court. Her approach reflects an effort to calibrate her position between the principles of international law and the U.S.-Japan alliance.
The Asahi Shimbun and Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the 20th that Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said on the 18th that President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi would meet in New York on the 22nd. It will be their first in-person summit in six months, following their meeting in Washington, D.C., in March.
The meeting will take place two days before a summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. A senior U.S. government official said, "Japan is a very important ally and regional partner," adding, "It will undoubtedly be an important meeting ahead of President Xi's visit to the United States."
Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to convey Japan's position on China, including the Taiwan issue, to President Donald Trump and coordinate the two countries' views. Trade, security and AI are expected to be key agenda items at the U.S.-China summit.
The Japanese government plans to check President Donald Trump in advance to prevent him from making concessions to China on issues such as Taiwan as he prioritizes practical interests ahead of the November midterm elections.
On the day of the summit, Prime Minister Takaichi will also deliver an address at the UN General Assembly's general debate. She plans to emphasize the importance of the rule of law and multilateralism centered on the UN, saying that the international order is tilting toward "the rule of force" due to the invasion of Ukraine and other developments.
However, the Japanese government is weighing whether to mention the Trump administration's sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane. Japan has supported the rule of law through international criminal justice since joining the ICC in 2007. Given the U.S.-Japan alliance, which forms the foundation of Japan's security, the option of not directly criticizing the U.S. measures in her UN address is being seriously considered.
Japan has made international cooperation a major pillar of its diplomacy since joining the UN in 1956. In 2016, the Shinzo Abe administration presented the concept of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)," centered on the rule of law, freedom of navigation and free trade.
Nikkei noted, "As Japan emphasizes the rule of law while also having to consider the U.S.-Japan alliance, which is the foundation of its security, the challenge is how to reconcile the principles of international law with consideration for an ally."

[email protected] Seo Hye-jin Reporter