WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of the country’s general election and said he will welcome her to the White House on March 19.
While Trump is often an outlier, it is very rare for the leader of any country to back a specific political figure ahead of a national election in a foreign country. The general election will be held on Sunday.
Trump praised Takaichi in a social media post, saying that she has already proven to be a “strong, powerful and wise” leader.
“Prime Minister Takaichi is someone who deserves powerful recognition for the job she and her Coalition are doing and, 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,” Trump wrote.
The date of Trump’s upcoming in-person talks with Takaichi was announced for the first time. It will be her first visit to the United States since she became prime minister in October.
During his Asia tour in late October, Trump met with her in Tokyo, where they reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral security alliance and economic relationship.
Takaichi’s trip to Washington will precede Trump’s planned April visit to China, whose relations with Japan have soured over her remarks concerning Taiwan.
AloJapan.com