By Kazuhiko Hori and Shinji Abe / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers
WASHINGTON -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, laying out "what Japan can and cannot do in the Strait of Hormuz under its own laws."
After the summit talks at the White House, Takaichi told reporters that she also conveyed to Trump the need for the conflict in the Middle East to be de-escalated quickly.
A senior Japanese government official revealed that during the talks, Trump asked that Japan contribute to ensuring safe navigation in the strait. While agreeing that safe navigation in the strait is important for a stable energy supply, Takaichi explained to Trump that Japan would act within the bounds of Japanese law, according to the official. The official did not disclose the specifics of the talks, but said the meeting between the two leaders was friendly.
During the talks, Takaichi condemned Iran's actions threatening safe navigation and its attacks on surrounding areas.
Takaichi told reporters after the talks, "We've confirmed that Japan and the United States will continue to maintain close communication toward realizing peace and stability in the Middle East, which includes safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and a stable energy supply."
In their talks, Takaichi and Trump affirmed the two countries' commitment to cooperating in expanding U.S. energy production. Takaichi also indicated Japan wants to conduct a joint project to stockpile crude oil from the United States.
Trump: Japan is not like NATO
Takaichi was the first leader from a Group of Seven country to meet Trump in person since he began calling for U.S. allies and partners to dispatch naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz.
At the start of the meeting, Trump described Takaichi as "a great woman" who had "the most successful election."
Calling Trump by his first name, Takaichi said, "It is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace and prosperity across the world."
And she condemned Iran, saying, "Iran's development of nuclear weapons must never be allowed." She also said, "I want to discuss how Japan and the United States can grow stronger and more prosperous together."
"I also brought proposals to calm down the global energy market," she added.
Asked by reporters about Japan's approach to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump mentioned a "tremendous" relationship with Japan and said the U.S. ally is "really stepping up to the plate."
"Unlike NATO," he added.
Regarding Japan's role in the Middle East, Trump said, "I expect Japan to step up."
Close cooperation on energy
Following the talks, a joint announcement was released about a second round of investment projects in the United States worth up to 73 billion dollars (about 11.5 trillion yen).
The projects include the construction of next-generation small modular reactors (SMRs), a kind of nuclear reactor.
One project involves constructing these reactors in Tennessee and Alabama. This will be handled by a joint venture of Hitachi Ltd. and GE Vernova. A total of 40 billion dollars will reportedly be invested.
The joint announcement stressed the significance of next-generation reactors.
"The groundbreaking commercial deployment of the advanced SMRs in the U.S. will serve as a tremendous next-generation stable power source, stabilizing electricity prices" for Americans, it reads.
Other projects include the construction of natural gas power plants, with investments of up to 17 billion dollars in Pennsylvania and up to 16 billion dollars in Texas.
With an eye toward supplying power to the growing number of data centers, the joint announcement states that the two countries will strengthen cooperation in building supply chains in "important strategic areas of economic security."
Japan and the United States also compiled three documents aimed at ensuring a stable supply of critical minerals for Japan, with efforts to include the development of rare earth muds near Minami-Torishima Island, which is administrated by Tokyo.
According to a memorandum of cooperation signed by Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the two sides agreed to set up a Japan-U.S. working group on the development of deep-sea mineral resources.
Takaichi 'eager to meet' Kim
Takaichi and Trump also reaffirmed that Japan and the United States will work together to promote the "free and open Indo-Pacific" concept.
They agreed to advance a wide range of security cooperation, including the joint development and production of missiles to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
The two leaders affirmed that Japan and the United States would coordinate closely on issues concerning China and North Korea.
Regarding the North Korea abduction issue, Takaichi told reporters: "I conveyed my strong desire to meet directly with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un. We discussed a possible process for this." "Amid a turbulent international situation and growing uncertainty, a robust Japan-U.S. alliance is indispensable for maximizing Japan's national interests," Takaichi said.
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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.
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March 20, 2026 08:41 ET (12:41 GMT)
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