Saadet Gökce
21 October 2025•Update: 22 October 2025
ISTANBUL
Japan's first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi vowed Tuesday to "bring back" diplomacy and to boost ties with the US.
"I will bring back Japan's diplomacy to the center of the world to flourish," Takaichi said at her first news conference after being elected.
"Both on the inside and outside, Japan faces major crises. We have no time to stand by idly," she said, adding that her Cabinet ministers will fulfill their missions in their respective fields in the lower and upper houses.
Takaichi stressed that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), whose lawmakers voted for Takaichi after reaching an agreement, together do not hold a majority.
"We are a minority ruling bloc, so it will be rough sailing ahead, but I will never give up. Our cabinet stands for resolve and advancement," she said.
Takaichi listed "critical issues" on the agenda, including "controlling commodity price increases, establishing a backup system to secure metropolitan functions, implementing social security reform and revising the Constitution."
She stated that the government will do its "utmost to ease the impact of the US tariffs."
Takaichi called the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit that will be hosted by Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea next week "a great chance to meet many state leaders" and promote "a free and open Indo-Pacific."
US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the ASEAN summit and visit South Korea and Japan afterward.
Trump has called her election as the first female chief of the LPD as "tremendous news for the incredible people of Japan," on his Truth Social platform.
"The Japan-US alliance is the very foundation of Japan's diplomatic and security policies. We will not be confined to bilateral matters," but issues ranging from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East and Europe to Ukraine will be discussed, she said.
"Japan is a very important partner for the United States," she said. "If I meet him (Trump), we will discuss the issues very important to both of our countries.”
"We are in cooperation with the United States, but Japan's own defense capability needs to be improved. That's what I'd like to talk about with Mr. Trump," said Takaichi.
