(On Prime Minister Takaichi’s phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump)
I just finished a phone call with President Trump. First of all, he warmly congratulated me on my appointment as Prime Minister, and I was very grateful for his kind words. I conveyed to him that strengthening the Japan–U.S. alliance is the top priority for my administration’s foreign and security policy. We confirmed our shared commitment to further elevating the alliance to new heights. I also expressed my respect for President Trump’s leadership regarding the recent situation in the Middle East. I conveyed that Japan is an extremely important partner for the United States, both in its strategy toward China and in its Indo-Pacific strategy, and I conveyed my will to continue to advance the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) together.
In addition, I conveyed my appreciation to President Trump for his support to date on the abduction issue and asked for his continued cooperation going forward.
Lastly, I mentioned that I very much look forward to welcoming him to Tokyo in the coming days.
(On whether President Trump was making the call from Air Force One)
(On Prime Minister Takaichi’s impression of U.S. President Donald Trump after directly talking to him)
My impression of President Trump is that he is a very cheerful and engaging person. He knew quite a bit about myself already and even shared with me some fond memories of the late Prime Minister Abe. He said he knew I was one of the politicians Prime Minister Abe cared deeply about. I, in turn, also expressed my gratitude for the kindness and friendship he has shown to Mrs. Akie Abe this year.