U.S. to Boost Security, Economic Cooperation with Japan after LDP Win

Washington, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Following the Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Sunday’s House of Representatives election, the United States plans to enhance cooperation with the Asian ally in security and economic matters. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to agree with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, also president of the LDP, to strengthen their countries’ alliance at their summit slated for March 19 in Washington. U.S. media scrambled to report the results of the election for the all-important lower chamber of Japan’s parliament. “The election was driven by enthusiasm about Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, and her party’s two-thirds supermajority victory appeared to affirm a strong appetite for her ‘Japan First’ approach,” The Washington Post reported. The New York Times said, “The result clears the way for Ms. Takaichi to enact a conservative agenda on defense and social issues and to strengthen her position on the global stage.” A U.S. State Department spokesperson told reporters Sunday, “We look forward to continuing to work with the government of Japan to advance U.S. security and economic priorities, as well as our shared interests, in the Indo-Pacific and globally.” “The U.S.-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and has never been stronger,” the spokesperson added. Another U.S. government official stated that the election results will strengthen Takaichi’s political foundation, making it easier to advance talks on Japan’s investment in and loans to the United States. The White House hopes to have deeper discussions than ever before with the Japanese side, the official also said. Agenda items at the upcoming Japan-U.S. summit will likely include responses to China and a hike in Japan’s defense spending. Nicholas Szechenyi, a senior fellow and Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a U.S. think tank, said, “The upcoming summit meeting with President Trump is an opportunity for her to talk to him about China before he sees (Chinese President) Xi Jinping and also elaborate on her ambitious defense strategy to remind him of Japan’s value as an ally,” “But I think she should also take advantage of her upcoming visit to tell Trump and the American people about her economic policies” at a time when the economic power to implement her policies is being tested, Szechenyi added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]