Press Conference by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae regarding Her Summit Telephone Talk with U.S. President Trump

Reporter: I am Jinno, with The Asahi Shimbun. Thank you for taking my question. Madame Prime Minister, it has been reported that you will take part in a summit telephone call with U.S. President Trump. I would like to ask about the status of that meeting and also which side proposed it.

Also, if the meeting has already taken place, what topics were discussed? I would also like to ask about what kind of exchange you had over the Taiwan issue or your response to a question in the Diet regarding a survival-threatening situation.

Prime Minister Takaichi: Thank you for your questions. I have just concluded my summit telephone talk with President Trump, which was held at his request. I thanked him for sending me a handwritten message on a U.S. newspaper reporting his recent visit to Japan. I also conveyed my appreciation to him for the United States’ efforts toward peace in Ukraine. We also enjoyed a wide-ranging exchange of views on reinforcing the Japan-U.S. Alliance and the situation and various challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region.

During the conversation, President Trump provided me with an update on the latest situation in U.S.-China relations, including the U.S.-China summit meeting held yesterday evening. I also responded to his question about the recent G20 summit that I attended. We affirmed that, following President Trump's recent visit to Japan, our two countries will continue working closely in the context of the current international situation.

President Trump said that he would be willing to receive calls from me at any time as a close friend of his. As this was a diplomatic exchange, I will refrain from divulging the specifics of our discussion.