Trump’s First Call After Beijing Summit: A Major Signal for U.S.-Japan Ties

Translation resultU.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass emphasized the resilience of the U.S.-Japan alliance, saying Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was the first foreign leader President Donald Trump called after the U.S.-China summit in Beijing.On the 21st, Glass spoke as a guest at the inaugural meeting of the National Power Research Association, an LDP faction supporting Takaichi. “The fact that President Trump called Prime Minister Takaichi first after the summit symbolically demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance and the deep trust between the two leaders,” he said.Glass strongly rejected China and Russia’s characterization of Takaichi’s defense buildup as “new militarism.” He dismissed those claims as “utter nonsense,” calling them an external effort to weaken the U.S.-Japan alliance.He also welcomed Japan’s decision to increase defense spending and to reconsider the doctrine of exclusive self-defense — the policy that limits Japan to strictly defensive forces used only in response to an attack — saying those changes would directly enhance the military capabilities of both countries. Glass urged deeper U.S.-Japan cooperation on cybersecurity and base defense to strengthen deterrence.More than 200 LDP lawmakers attended the founding meeting in person, underscoring Takaichi’s influence within the party. Senior figures at the event included LDP Vice President Taro Aso; Katsunobu Kato, the group’s chair and a former finance minister; and Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who serves as the group’s secretary-general. Prime Minister Takaichi did not attend.Political observers say the group’s launch could mark a turning point that consolidates her political standing.