U.S.–Japan Alliance

Japan’s foreign ministry says President Donald Trump has invited Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit the United States this spring during a phone call this week, the ultraconservative leader’s first U.S. trip since taking office in October, as Washington and Tokyo coordinate responses to rising Chinese military pressure around Taiwan. The two leaders vowed to "carve out a new chapter" in the U.S.–Japan alliance, deepen economic and security cooperation including the Japan–U.S.–South Korea partnership, and discussed the Indo‑Pacific following Chinese drills and a proposed $11 billion U.S. arms package to Taiwan, even as the White House has not yet confirmed the call.