Trump Backs Takaichi Ahead of Japan Election, Says He Looks Forward to March White House Meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly voiced his support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of Japan's general election (House of Representatives election) scheduled for February 8.

On the 5th (local time), President Trump stated on his social networking service (SNS) Truth Social, "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has already proven that she is strong, tough, powerful, and a wise leader, and that she truly loves her country."

Takaichi Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan (left), and Trump Donald, U.S. President. Photo by AFP Yonhap

President Trump said, "I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Takaichi to the White House on March 19. When I visited Japan, my entire delegation and I were very impressed by her."

He went on, "The United States and Japan have worked closely together not only on national security, but also to reach a substantive trade agreement that greatly benefits both countries. Prime Minister Takaichi deserves high praise for what she and her coalition (the ruling coalition) are doing."

President Trump added, "Therefore, as President of the United States, I am proud to express my full and complete support for her and for what her respected coalition represents," and said, "She will not let the people of Japan down."

President Trump has previously expressed open support for right-wing candidates in presidential elections in Latin America. However, this is the first time he has made remarks that intervene in the elections of Japan, a member of the Group of Seven (G7) and an East Asian country, and it is expected to cause considerable repercussions.

In particular, Prime Minister Takaichi, often referred to as the "female Abe," has been pushing to turn Japan into a "normal country" (a country capable of waging war) through constitutional revision. Given that the upcoming general election is closely tied to the issue of revising Japan's constitution, President Trump's public remarks bolstering Prime Minister Takaichi may provide additional momentum for Japan's future efforts to amend its constitution.