WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump said Thursday that Japan is “really stepping up to the plate” regarding Iran, unlike members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Trump made his comparison of Japan to NATO countries during his bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae in the Oval Office when a reporter asked if he was satisfied with Japan’s level of support on Iran. Trump replied:
We’re going to be speaking about it today. We’ve had tremendous support and relationship with Japan on everything, and I believe that, based on statements that were given to us yesterday, the day before yesterday, having to do with Japan, they are really stepping up to the plate, unlike NATO.
Takaichi spoke about the situation in Iran in her opening remarks.
“Right now, situations in the Middle East and also the entire world, we are actually experiencing a very severe security environment, and also the global economy is now about to experience a huge hit because of this development,” she said.
“Even against that backdrop, I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world, and to do so, I am ready to reach out to many of the partners in the international community to achieve our objective together,” she added.
She said that the world cannot tolerate Iran developing a nuclear weapon, and that Japan has been urging Iran against it, as well as contacting “other partners in the world.”
“In addition, Japan condemns Iran’s actions such as attacking the neighboring region, and also the de facto or effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Takaichi told the president.
“As a matter of fact… Foreign Minister Motegi also had the direct exchange with the Iranian foreign minister and urged Iran to stop such activities,” she continued, also noting she brought proposals to bring relief to the energy market around the globe.
Takaichi also emphasized that in the Indo-Pacific, the security environment is “becoming increasingly severe” and noted she looks forward to her discussions with Trump, particularly on “collaboration in economic security in the important areas such as energy and rare earth minerals.”
Trump noted during the meeting that he is not deploying ground troops to Iran.
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