TOKYO, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Criticized at home as "fawning diplomacy," Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Washington drew scrutiny after her talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, where she was seen by observers as making repeated concessions while failing to secure clear outcomes on key issues.
No joint statement was issued after the meeting, and post-talk remarks from both sides suggested a lack of consensus on several major economic and security matters, Japanese media and analysts have said.
Takaichi's obsequious manner throughout the talks also left many stunned, placing her in an awkward position in Washington while fueling growing controversy back home in Japan.
FLATTERY MET WITH JIBES
Ahead of Takaichi's visit, Trump's request for Japan and other countries to send warships to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz sparked domestic pushback in Japan. Media and commentators warned that such a move could overstep Japan's pacifist constitution and potentially draw the country into conflicts in the Middle East.
From the beginning of the talks, Takaichi went out of her way to curry favor with the U.S. president in front of the media, yet three awkward incidents followed one after another.
After Trump opened with a welcome, Takaichi attempted to speak in halting English, only switching back to Japanese after Trump pointed out that she had "a very good interpreter."
Takaichi also addressed Trump by his first name, "Donald," in what was seen as a gesture of closeness. While acknowledging the severe security situation in the Middle East and the entire world, and its profound impact on the global economy, she simultaneously declared that "only Donald can achieve peace and prosperity across the world."
The remarks quickly drew criticism back in Japan. Many Japanese netizens were blunt in calling her comments "shameful," particularly given the widespread international condemnation of Trump over U.S. military strikes on Iran, which critics said violated international law.
Tomoko Tamura, chair of the opposition Japanese Communist Party, said that Takaichi offered not a single word of criticism over the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and instead praised Trump, calling such diplomacy -- blindly aligning with the United States -- deeply disgraceful.
Besides, when a Japanese reporter asked why the United States had not notified allies such as Japan in advance before launching its attack on Iran, Trump invoked Japan's 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, bluntly remarking that "who knows better about surprise (attacks) than Japan." Reacting to the joke, Takaichi widened her eyes in apparent shock and looked visibly embarrassed but offered no verbal response.
U.S. media interpreted this as a reflection of Trump's arrogant contempt for allies, suggesting he deliberately seeks to humiliate or expose the vulnerabilities of his counterparts in order to gain the upper hand in negotiations.
Mireya Solis, director of the Center for Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, noted that past U.S. presidents had typically avoided speaking at length about Pearl Harbor in the presence of Japanese leaders, making Trump's remarks "unusual, a shock."
The two sides also appeared unable to resolve their differences over the Strait of Hormuz escort issue. After the meeting, Takaichi told the press that she had explained to Trump what Japan "can do" and "cannot do" within the legal framework, and that she would maintain close communication with the U.S. side on the matter.
Tetsuo Kotani, a professor at Meikai University, commented that the Trump administration clearly has no interest in what Japan "cannot do" and may express its displeasure at any moment.
ECONOMIC CONCESSIONS
Unable to fully meet Trump's expectations on dispatching vessels to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Takaichi shifted the focus to economic investment.
During the talks, the two sides confirmed a second batch of candidate projects under a previously pledged 550-billion-U.S. dollar Japanese investment framework aimed at securing lower U.S. tariffs. These include plans for Japan to invest in next-generation small modular nuclear reactors and natural gas power facilities in America, totaling approximately 73 billion dollars.
Takaichi also pledged to cooperate with Washington in boosting energy production and increasing Japan's imports of U.S. crude oil to replenish its reserves. Additionally, both sides agreed to collaborate on the development of critical minerals such as rare earths.
However, these commitments have drawn widespread criticism in Japan. Opponents argued that the tariff arrangement is unfair and undermines national interests.
Japanese economist Takashi Kadokura questioned why Japan continues to honor investment pledges tied to tariffs after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidated Trump's "reciprocal tariff" measures. He also pointed out that the distribution of returns, where approximately 90 percent of the investment returns go to the United States, is clearly unreasonable.
Japanese veteran journalist Jun Yamada warned that expanding investment in the United States could harm Japan's own economy, criticizing Takaichi's approach as "selling out national interests" and increasing the burden on taxpayers.
DEEPER SECURITY ALIGNMENT
Takaichi also indicated support for closer security alignment with Washington. Speaking to the media after the meeting, she said both sides agreed to advance "broad security cooperation," including the joint development and production of missiles.
Kyodo News reported that Trump welcomed Japan's plans to significantly increase purchases of U.S. military equipment during a dinner following the talks.
Japan has steadily expanded its defense spending and procurement in recent years. In January, the Board of Audit of Japan reviewed the Ministry of Defense's acquisitions under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, finding that total contracts between fiscal 2018 and 2023 reached 3.55 trillion yen (about 22 billion dollars), triggering public concern.
The Tokyo Shimbun questioned whether Japan should continue spending vast amounts of taxpayer money on U.S. weapons, calling the trend an excessive "buying spree."
Just hours before the summit, more than 10,000 people gathered in Tokyo to protest Japan's military buildup, warning it could destabilize the region and put the country on a dangerous path.
Former senior Foreign Ministry official Hitoshi Tanaka criticized the Takaichi cabinet for pushing constitutional revision, increasing defense spending, and expanding arms exports while "clinging to" and "appeasing" the United States in the name of deterrence.
He argued that such an approach is "entirely misguided," stressing that Japan should instead prioritize diplomacy and mechanisms with neighboring countries to prevent miscalculations and conflicts. ■