As President Trump delivers on his promise of peace through strength in his second term, America’s most vital ally in the Indo-Pacific is stepping up with unprecedented resolve. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s trailblazing conservative leader, has emerged as one of President Trump’s leading partners—bold, decisive, and unapologetically committed to a stronger Japan and a deeper Japan-US alliance.
In just the past month, under Takaichi’s leadership, Japan has taken historic steps to promote the crucial Japan-US alliance with important initiatives on burden-sharing, deterrence, and putting allies who deliver first.
Turning Alliance Commitments into Capabilities
On April 21, Takaichi’s government announced Japan’s biggest overhaul of defense export rules in decades. Tokyo scrapped outdated restrictions on lethal weapons transfers, opening the door to exports of warships, missiles, and advanced systems to trusted partners. This move strengthens Japan’s defense industrial base, reduces reliance on US taxpayers, and equips like-minded nations to counter shared threats.
The export reform builds on Japan’s record $58 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2026, which took effect in April. The budget accelerates Japan’s counterstrike capabilities, southern island defenses (the emerging “southern shield”), and investments in missiles, drones, and coastal fortifications to deter Chinese aggression near the Senkaku Islands and beyond.
Takaichi hit Japan’s military spending target of 2% of GDP ahead of schedule and is signaling further increases. Her administration is also updating Japan’s National Security Strategy to reflect modern realities. Most important: Takaichi is pushing critical constitutional revisions to empower Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and centralize Japan’s intelligence capabilities.
These initiatives flow from the strong Trump-Takaichi partnership. Their March 19 summit in Washington produced critical wins for both nations. This included co-development and co-production of missiles (including AMRAAM and Standard Missile-3 Block IIA), enhanced intelligence sharing via a new sovereign cloud platform, critical minerals cooperation, and energy security measures amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel actions against Iran.
Energy Diplomacy in Action
Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which the vast majority of Japan’s oil imports flow, created an energy crisis with “enormous impact” across the Asia-Pacific, as Prime Minister Takaichi rightly warned during her recent visit to Australia. Japan responded by tapping its massive strategic reserves (releasing millions of barrels), pursuing alternative supply routes, and engaging in vigorous diplomacy.
On May 1 and earlier in April, Takaichi held direct phone calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging safe passage for all vessels, including Japan-linked tankers, and pressing for de-escalation and a final diplomatic agreement.
While President Trump voiced minor public complaints, noting that Japan is not contributing militarily to operations in the Iran conflict, he has made clear that there are no serious differences with Tokyo on the issue.
Japan’s constitutional limitations and geographic focus on the Indo-Pacific are well understood. Trump’s real ire has been directed at European allies who continue to fall short on defense spending and meaningful burden-sharing even in a global crisis.
Takaichi’s proactive energy diplomacy and steadfast alliance support have earned Trump’s overall appreciation, reinforcing the productive Japan-US partnership rather than straining it. Just days ago, Takaichi wrapped up a high-profile visit to Australia (May 3-5), elevating ties to a special strategic partnership with new defense, critical minerals, and energy agreements.
These agreements will further weave a web of reliable allies in the region. Her foreign policy speech on May 2 reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, collective self-defense, and confronting threats head-on.
Equal Partners in Deterrence
Critics in Japan, clinging to outdated pacifism and weak multilateralism, have decried these moves. But the facts are undeniable: China’s military buildup and naval intimidation continue; North Korea endangers the region with reckless missile launches, and energy chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz expose serious vulnerabilities.
Under the leadership of President Trump and Prime Minister Takaichi, the United States and Japan are acting as true equal partners. The alliance is stronger, more reciprocal, and far better positioned to deter conflict rather than invite it through weakness.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi represents the best of modern Japan. As its first female leader, she combines Abe-style conservatism with a Trump-like “Japan First” pragmatism. Her reforms over the past month alone—defense export liberalization, record military spending, Hormuz diplomacy, and alliance-deepening efforts—have established her as one of President Trump’s most reliable and effective partners on the world stage.
The Trump-Takaichi alliance is delivering a new era of strength. jobs, security, and prosperity for both nations. The Indo-Pacific stays free. Adversaries are on notice. This is leadership that wins.
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Author: Fred Fleitz
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