On March 19, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made her first official visit to the United States for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. She acknowledged that this summit would be “very difficult,” as the meeting was expected to be overshadowed by the war in Iran and her disagreements with Trump over the extent of Japanese involvement in the conflict. 

Despite such circumstances, Takaichi can call the summit a success. 

Before the summit, Trump had been pressuring Japan to send its minesweepers to help oil and gas tankers safely navigate the Strait of Hormuz. Takaichi refused to do so, as Japan has no legal mechanism for sending armed forces to support an ongoing war it is not a part of. 

On March 19, sitting next to Trump in the Oval Office, Takaichi’s strategy was to offer flattery, stating that it is “only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world.” She also offered promises to support U.S. efforts to stabilize energy markets and secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but made no firm commitment to naval deployments. Takaichi hoped that this would be enough to placate Trump for the time being, as he had told Japan and other allies prior to the summit that he is more focused on obtaining high level statements of support rather than specific contributions. 

Her approach clearly worked. Trump praised Japan for “stepping up to the plate” on Iran, framing Japan as a model ally in comparison with NATO. At the same time, he downplayed his desires for allied assistance, saying that the war is “ahead of schedule,” and that it would be over soon as Iran’s navy, air force, anti-aircraft capabilities, and key leadership have been “demolished.” For now, the question of whether Japan will make concrete contributions to the Iran conflict has been left for another day. 

Instead, the deliverables from the summit focused on economic deals, particularly involving energy and critical minerals. 

The United States and Japan announced plans to construct small modular reactors in Tennessee and Alabama at an estimated cost of $40 billion, and to construct natural gas generation facilities in Pennsylvania and Texas at an estimated cost of $17 billion and $16 billion, respectively. The two countries also released an action plan for developing critical mineral price floors, and a memorandum of cooperation to share information on deep sea mining, including Japan’s ongoing exploration project to mine the rare earth rich mud off the coast of its Minamitorishima island. Additionally, Japan announced plans to strengthen inbound investment based on national security risks, and the United States announced that it would prioritize visa processing for temporary business travelers. 

At the press conference, Trump also said that he would be “speaking Japan’s praises” in his upcoming summit in China (originally scheduled for early April, but since delayed). This is good news for Japan; China has been targeting Japan with export controls in an ongoing spat over Takaichi’s November comments that a Taiwan contingency could be considered a “survival threatening situation” – a legal formulation that authorizes Japan to use its armed forces for defense purposes. 

Takaichi had planned to use this summit to clarify Trump’s position on China and persuade Trump against making any sweeping economic deals that might jeopardize Indo-Pacific security and sideline Japanese interests. With Trump having postponed the China summit by “a month or so,” and reportedly not communicating with Beijing about his expectations for the visit, questions remain as to what will come out of his summit with China’s Xi Jinping. Nevertheless, this comment from Trump gives Japan some reassurance that he will have consideration for Japanese interests.

Ultimately, Takaichi was able to pick up where she left off during October’s Japan-U.S. summit in Tokyo. Throughout the meeting, her chemistry and warmth with Trump was still apparent. Trump’s off-the-cuff comparison of the United States’ surprise attack on Iran to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 created a tense moment and is understandably grabbing headlines, as it breaks a decades-long taboo. However, on balance, he received Takaichi warmly. He congratulated Takaichi on her successful election, calling her a “popular powerful woman,” complimented her English abilities, and invited reporters to ask her questions after most of their queries had been directed his way. 

When Takaichi met Trump for the first time in October 2025, she defied expectations, hitting it off with Trump without having to offer any concessions. This time, many worried whether her good accord with Trump would withstand Trump’s war with Iran and his demands on U.S. allies. Once again, Takaichi not only defied expectations – she exceeded them.