Japan’s PM Plans First US Visit amid Rising Tensions with China

By Staff, Agencies

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is planning to visit the United States in late March for the first time since taking office, amid growing tensions with China, Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a government source.

According to Kyodo News, Takaichi hopes to meet with US President Donald Trump ahead of her planned visit to China in April for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tokyo had initially proposed holding the US visit in January, just ahead of the opening of Japan’s regular parliamentary session, but no arrangement was finalized. A late-March visit would allow Takaichi to secure parliamentary approval for the 2026 budget, the report said, though the trip could be pushed into April or later depending on Washington’s schedule.

The planned summit is reportedly aimed at conveying Japan’s concerns over China’s increasingly assertive policies and securing US backing as Sino-Japanese relations continue to strain.

Tensions between Japan and China escalated after Takaichi said in early November that a military escalation in Taiwan would create a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially forcing Japan to respond. The remarks drew a sharp rebuke from China, as well as criticism from opposition parties within Japan.

This came after Japan decided to move ahead with missile deployments near Taiwan, which China slammed as a plan that represents a dangerous shift in Tokyo’s regional posture.

The move forms part of a broader military buildup across Japan’s southwestern island chain, which includes upgraded long-range missile programs and expanded Self-Defense Forces infrastructure aimed at reinforcing deterrence around the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing stressed that efforts to revive pre-1945 political orientations will face resistance, stating that China “will never allow Japanese right-wing forces to reverse history, nor tolerate foreign interference in Taiwan affairs or a resurgence of Japanese militarism,” adding that “China has both the determination and capability to defend its national territorial sovereignty.”

Chinese officials have warned that the missile deployment reflects Washington’s long-running attempts to manipulate the region’s security order and contain China under the guise of alliance cooperation.