Japan says Premier Takaichi, Trump discuss ‘various challenges facing Indo-Pacific' region

ISLAMABAD / ISTANBUL

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday discussed “various challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region,” Japan’s Foreign Ministry said, a day after the latter spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Takaichi and Trump “exchanged views on strengthening the Japan-US Alliance ... President Trump made an explanation on the latest situation of US-China relations, including the recent US-China summit meeting," a ministry statement said, noting that the phone call lasted 25 minutes.

“The two leaders affirmed that the two countries will continue working closely under the current international situation,” the Japanese Foreign Ministry statement said.

The statement, however, did not mention whether Takaichi and Trump discussed Taiwan over the phone call.

Takaichi said Trump “had requested the talks” with her, during which the US president briefed the Japanese prime minister on his phone conversation with Xi held a day earlier, according to the Tokyo-based Kyodo news agency.

On Monday, Trump described his phone conversation with Xi as “very good,” adding that he accepted an invitation to visit Beijing in April.

According to Chinese state media, Xi told Trump that the return of Taiwan to China was an important part of the post-war international order.

The phone call, which Beijing said was initiated by the US, came amid tensions between China and Japan over the island.

On Nov. 7, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told lawmakers that any Chinese attack on Taiwan could legally amount to a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing Japan to “exercise the right of collective self-defense.”

Her remarks triggered massive backlash from Beijing, with China advising against travel to Japan, re-imposing a ban on imports of seafood, among other restrictive measures.