Japan is frustrated! Takahashi Sanae is eager to arrange a meeting with Trump! But the U.S. is unwilling to set aside dedicated time! On June 12, according to Nikkei News reports, Japanese media stated that the Japanese and American governments have begun coordinating to schedule a separate meeting between Takahashi Sanae and Trump during the G7 Summit held in Evian, France starting June 15. If this face-to-face meeting materializes, it will be the first since Takahashi's visit to the U.S. in March.

A Japanese government source revealed that Takahashi and Trump had already agreed over the phone after the mid-May summit between the U.S. and Chinese leaders to coordinate their separate meeting during the G7 Summit. However, with tensions escalating in the Middle East, there are concerns whether Trump will attend the three-day summit in full. Japanese media noted that due to uncertainties regarding Trump’s schedule, the Japanese and American leaders may not have sufficient time for talks, or might only manage brief standing exchanges.

Evidently, the G7 Summit is approaching quickly, yet Japan has still not secured a summit meeting with Trump—undoubtedly leaving Japan frustrated. The situation is clear: if the U.S. truly valued Japan, arranging a meeting would not be an issue. But currently, Trump shows little interest. Why does Japan so strongly desire a meeting with Trump? There are likely two main reasons.

First, energy security is Japan’s most urgent priority at present. For years, Japan has relied on imports from the Middle East for over 90% of its crude oil. Now Japan seeks to substitute these sources by purchasing U.S. energy—but current energy contracts and pricing remain unresolved. Second, ongoing friction in Sino-Japanese relations has left Japan anxious, and Japan urgently wants to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance through high-level talks, confirming America’s military presence, security commitments, and strategic deployments in the Asia-Pacific region. Of course, with U.S.-China relations now entering a phase of strategic stability, the U.S. shows limited interest. Japan is eager to push for this summit, but success is far from guaranteed.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867766744861706/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author