Japan, US Leaders Reaffirm Alliance Commitment

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has met with United States President Donald Trump in New York, where the two leaders reaffirmed their cooperation on economic security, technology, and regional issues.

The meeting took place at about 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a statement posted on X, the Japanese Prime Minister said it was her fourth meeting with Trump since the G7 Evian Summit in June.

She described the talks as open and cordial, saying the two leaders discussed cooperation across a wide range of areas and developments in the region.

On economic security, the leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence, semiconductors and critical minerals.

They also reaffirmed the importance of implementing the Japan-US tariff agreement and agreed to advance bilateral cooperation on the issue.

The Japanese Prime Minister said the discussions also covered China and North Korea, with particular attention given to the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea.

“Amid the increasingly severe security environment in recent times, I believe it was extremely meaningful to have engaged in solid discussions at this very juncture with President Trump on Japan-U.S. cooperation across a wide range of fields—including security, the economy, and economic security—as well as on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region,” the Japanese Prime Minister said.

Sanae said she stressed the need for the immediate resolution of the abduction issue and received Trump’s full support.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Trump had on Tuesday called on countries that are members of the ICC to withdraw from the tribunal, describing it as a “rogue institution.”

He criticised the ICC over what he described as its attempts to exercise jurisdiction over the United States and its citizens.

The Japanese Prime Minister said the talks were significant following the increasingly severe security environment, particularly in relation to Japan-US cooperation on security, the economy and economic security, and developments in the Indo-Pacific.

She added that Japan would continue close engagement with Trump to further strengthen the Japan-US alliance.

現地時間22日13時過ぎから、国連総会出席のため訪問中の米国・ニューヨークにて、トランプ大統領(@realDonaldTrump)と日米首脳会談を行いました。… pic.twitter.com/ldFzCMjTVJ

— 高市早苗 (@takaichi_sanae) September 23, 2026