Takaichi wins Trump's praise, builds rapport

Focus on energy, defence cooperation

- 

US President Donald Trump and Sanae Takaichi, Japan's prime minister, third from left, during a dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on Thursday.

(REUTERS)

Sanae Takaichi had warned her first summit with Donald Trump in Washington could be "extremely difficult," after the US asked her to deploy warships to Iran. Instead, she showcased Japan's deep ties with the US and her own agility on the world stage.

Ms Takaichi smiled politely during the only obvious moment of tension during their Oval Office meeting on Thursday, when Mr Trump referenced the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Otherwise, the Republican leader praised Ms Takaichi, highlighted new areas of economic cooperation and pledged to speak up for Tokyo when he eventually meets Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We've had tremendous support and relationship with Japan on everything," Mr Trump said, after greeting Ms Takaichi outside the White House. Ms Takaichi explained the legal limits to the support Japan can offer in defending the Strait of Hormuz because of her nation's pacifist constitution, which America helped to write.