The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump privately urged Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to soften her rhetoric toward China after she came out forcefully on Taiwan.
According to people familiar with the call, Trump encouraged Takaichi to “lower the tone” in order to avoid inflaming tensions with President Xi Jinping at a delicate moment in U.S.–China–Japan relations. The exchange underscores the geopolitical sensitivity surrounding Taiwan, where Japan’s vocal support has drawn Beijing’s ire, and highlights Washington’s ongoing efforts to manage allied messaging as it navigates its own strategic competition with China.
---
Some background on this for weeks ago, this issue is not going away:
