U.S. President Donald Trump has again broken with tradition, offering his “total endorsement” of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her ruling bloc in Sunday’s general election and announcing that the two planned to meet in Washington on March 19.
In a post to social media on Thursday, Trump said he was “extremely impressed” with Takaichi, who he met during an October visit to Japan, saying the results of the election would be “very important to the future of Japan.”
“Prime Minister Takaichi is someone who deserves powerful recognition for the job she and her Coalition are doing and, therefore, as President of the United States of America, it is my Honor to give a Complete and Total Endorsement of her, and what her highly respected Coalition is representing,” he wrote, adding in all capital letters: “SHE WILL NOT LET THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN DOWN!”
The endorsement was believed to be the first time that a U.S. leader had offered such implicit backing of a Japanese leader or political party in an election. Trump has in the past offered similar endorsements of leaders he favors, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Asked at a regular news conference Friday about Trump’s endorsement, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato declined to comment.
Although a symbol of the bond Takaichi has built with the unpredictable Trump, the backing is something she may not need.
Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are on track to secure a landslide victory in the Lower House election, according to an opinion poll last weekend by the Asahi Shimbun daily. Two earlier polls even had her LDP pegged to win a standalone majority in the body.
A resounding victory in the election would solidify Takaichi’s grip on power for the foreseeable future and give her more clout in the planned meeting with Trump.
In his social media post, Trump said Takaichi “has already proven to be a strong, powerful, and wise Leader, and one that truly loves her Country,” adding that he was looking forward to welcoming her to the White House in what would be her first visit as prime minister.
Sato on Friday confirmed Trump had extended the March 19 invitation to Takaichi, adding that the scheduled talks would include a number of agenda items.
“Amid turbulent international circumstances, we intend to thoroughly prepare for a meaningful visit that aims to reaffirm Japan’s unshakable solidarity with the U.S. and President Trump, further advance cooperation across a wide range of fields including diplomacy, economics and security and forge a new chapter in the Japan-U.S. alliance,” Sato said.
At their October summit in Japan, Takaichi pledged to realize “a…