Japan PM Takaichi to meet Trump Tuesday ahead of US-China summit

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump are expected to meet Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to local media reports on Friday. The bilateral talks come as Tokyo seeks to coordinate its position with Washington regarding China ahead of Trump's scheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

Taiwan and regional security concerns

Japan has been actively pursuing the meeting amid growing concerns in Tokyo over the trajectory of US-China relations, particularly regarding Taiwan and broader regional security issues. The Japanese and US governments are currently making final arrangements for the high-level discussion, sources told Kyodo News.

History of leader engagement

Tuesday's meeting would mark at least the fourth in-person encounter between Takaichi and Trump since she assumed office as prime minister in October 2025. Their first face-to-face summit took place in Tokyo on October 28, 2025, during Trump's visit to Japan, followed by a White House meeting on March 19 and a brief discussion on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France in June.

The two leaders have also maintained regular contact through at least four publicly announced phone conversations since Takaichi took office, including calls in October and November 2025 and again in January and May this year. During their May call, Trump briefed Takaichi on his recent talks with Xi following the US president's visit to Beijing, while both leaders exchanged views on China, economic security, and regional stability.