Sanae Takaichi’s Diplomatic Debut

Ichiro Suzuki

Japan’s House of Representatives (Lower House) elected Sanae Takaichi as the country’s new leader on October 22. Two days later, in her first address to the Lower House, she declared to get Abe’s active diplomacy back again. By the end of the month, the new Prime Minister went through a whirlwind of diplomatic activities.

She first flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to introduce herself to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders. While there were no serious meetings in Malaysia, she actively present herself to foreign leaders, in English. In the 1990s Takaichi spent two years in Washington DC, working as a Democratic representative from Colorado Patricia Schroeder’s staff. Through the experience, she appears to have learned how to express what she thinks to people she works with. Though her English isn’t excellent, she has the skill to win the hearts of other people. Many of past PMs lacked this quality and their relationship with foreign leaders looked rather awkward. Some want to criticize Takaichi’s behavior as ‘un-Japanese’. It might be, but she is dealing with people who are not Japanese. 

After ASEAN, she went back to Tokyo, and received the President of the United States, who also flew in from Kuala Lumpur. Takaichi is a lucky person. In her second week in office, the President came to see her. Sometimes it takes months for a new leader to get to see the POTUS, in Washington, after negotiations through the Foreign Ministry. This time around, Trump’s visit has simply fallen on her calendar. Trump and Takaichi hit it off instantly. After a meeting in Tokyo, they flew a military helicopter Marine One to Yokosuka Naval Base, about 40 miles south of Tokyo. The helicopter landed nuclear aircraft carrier George Washington. The President spoke to GW’s crew and introduced the new Japanese PM to them with a remark “This woman is a winner,” This was an exceptional treatment by the U.S. 

Trump offered Takaichi “anything you want”, and didn’t press her for greater defense spending. They smiled a lot. This was a remarkable diplomatic success for a new PM who was in office less than ten days. Of course, not everyone liked what she did. Getting Trump on her side, however, is no ordinary feat for the interest of the country. World leaders simply can’t behave like a ‘No Kings’ marchers, regardless of what they really think. Every leader flatters the POTUS anyway, otherwise his/ her country tumbles in a serious trouble, in terms of both the economy and national security. After Trump, she flew to Busan, South Korea, where President Lee Jae Myung treated the POTUS like a king. 

Busan hosted G20 meetings, where world leaders gathered though Trump chose not to attend it. She met President Lee, elected in June representing South Korea’s liberal camp, was wary of the rise of conservative Takaichi. Korea - Japan relationships are often thorny when the former has a liberal president. As it turned out, both of them smiled after their meeting. At this moment South Korea and Japan don’t have the luxury of disputing with each other in the face of Trump’s America. Their hands are already full with tariffs, pledged investments in the U.S, and pressure for greater defense spending.  Realistically, the two countries had better have a truce in whatever differences of opinions they have between the two. Takaichi is a beneficiary of Lee’s pragmatism. Again, she is lucky. 

Finally, Takaichi met Xi Jinping. China-hawk Takaichi is the least welcome Japanese PM for his country. In fact, China didn’t send a telegram to congratulate Takaichi on her rise to prime ministership. It wasn’t Xi’s original plan to meet Takaichi in Busan. Looking at the Trump - Takaichi meeting, however, Xi appears to have changed his mind. It wasn’t a waste of time to meet her, he thought. They met and exchanged opinions. For Takaichi, it was on the opposite polar of the Trump meeting, and was quite sober and businesslike. There were no smiles. Nonetheless, it was still the first Sino - Japanese summit since 2019, and had its meaning.

Overall, Takaichi made a stunning diplomatic debut. Durability of her luck remains to be seen, especially in the face of famously unpredictable President of the United States. That said, Shinzo Abe remained a good friend of Trump since the first time he was elected in 2016. Trump even invited Abe’s widow Akie to Mar-a-Lago prior to his second inauguration. Japan has to pray that unexpected weakening of the currency doesn’t materialize in the coming months. Takaichi’s economic policy is driving the dollar up against the yen since her rise to power. If it keeps going it could cause Trump’s wrath. 

About the author: Mr. Suzuki is a retired banker based in Tokyo, Japan.