SEOUL, Feb. 6 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump gave his “total endorsement” of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of a snap election in her country on Sunday and announced plans to meet with her at the White House on March 19.
Takaichi “deserves powerful recognition for the job she and her Coalition are doing,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Thursday. “Therefore, as President of the United States of America, it is my Honor to give a Complete and Total Endorsement of her, and what her highly respected Coalition is representing.”
“SHE WILL NOT LET THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN DOWN!” he added.
Takaichi dissolved the lower house of parliament on Jan. 23, triggering a snap election set for Sunday. The 64-year-old hardline conservative leader and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, appear headed for a strong showing, according to a poll released Monday by the Asahi Shimbun daily.
The survey suggested the LDP is on track to secure an outright majority in the 465-member chamber. Along with its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party, the coalition could capture around 300 seats, the poll indicated — well above the razor-thin majority it currently holds.
Such a result would strengthen Takaichi’s hand as she seeks to cement her leadership within the party and press ahead with her policy agenda.
In the 12-day campaign period ahead of the election, Takaichi has focused on economic measures to help households squeezed by rising prices.
She has floated the idea of temporarily suspending the consumption tax on food and expanding fiscal stimulus, while calling for increased public investment in strategic industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence as part of a broader growth strategy. Debate has also touched on foreign workers, tourism management and Tokyo’s security posture amid heightened tensions with China.
Takaichi is Japan’s first female prime minister. She took office late last year after winning a leadership contest within the LDP following the resignation of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose approval ratings had cratered amid high inflation and a wide-ranging slush fund scandal.
A former heavy metal drummer, Takaichi has brought a populist flair to Japan’s typically staid political establishment. Her social media savvy has made her a surprising favorite among younger voters, as her personal approval ratings run far ahead of the broader LDP.
Direct endorsements by sitting U.S. presidents in foreign elections are unusual, although Trump has previously voiced support for conservative leaders abroad, including Argentine President Javier Milei last year. On Thursday, he also endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in an April vote.
Trump and Takaichi met in October during his visit to Japan, just a week after she took office. The two reached agreements on trade and rare earth minerals, with Takaichi heralding a “new golden era” in bilateral ties.
Trump’s endorsement comes amid an ongoing rift between Tokyo and Beijing over comments Takaichi made in November, when she said a Chinese attempt to blockade or seize Taiwan could trigger a military response under Japan’s security laws.
During a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Taiwan was “the most pressing issue” in their relationship, reiterating Beijing’s claim that the self-governing democratic island is “China’s territory.”
Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato confirmed Friday that Trump had extended the March 19 invitation.
“Amid a turbulent international environment, we will reaffirm the unshakable unity between Japan and the United States with President Trump, further advance cooperation in diplomacy, economic and security fields, and open a new chapter in the alliance,” Sato said at a regular press briefing. “We will make thorough preparations to ensure the visit is meaningful.”