President Trump of the United States and Prime Minister Takaichi of Japan [AP Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Takaichi stated that U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi spoke by phone on the 2nd (Japan time).

Speaking to reporters immediately after the call, Prime Minister Takaichi said, "We agreed to further deepen cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in areas including friendly relations, economy, and security," and added, "We confirmed our policy of promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, in conjunction with friendly nations, including Japan, the U.S., and South Korea."

He further commented, "We exchanged views centered on the Indo-Pacific region and confirmed close cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in the current international situation."

This call, the second between the leaders of Japan and the U.S. since Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks in November last year suggesting intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency led to heightened Sino-Japanese tensions, appears to have involved an exchange of views on China-related issues.

However, Prime Minister Takaichi did not explicitly mention whether Sino-Japanese tensions were on the agenda. Since the deterioration of China-Japan relations, President Trump has maintained a distance, neither actively supporting his ally Japan nor provoking China, and has instead urged Japan to ease tensions.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Takaichi signaled a check on China by stating to Japanese reporters immediately after the call that he had confirmed cooperation with "friendly nations, including South Korea, the U.S., and Japan."

It is likely that Prime Minister Takaichi's mention of Japan, the U.S., and South Korea was made with President Lee Jae-myung's visit to China on the 4th and China's diplomatic maneuvers in mind.

Previously, on the 31st of last month, Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun of South Korea, stating that "some political forces in Japan are attempting to regress history" and demanding that South Korea adhere to the "One China" principle.

Additionally, Prime Minister Takaichi conveyed that President Trump had invited him to the United States and that they agreed to coordinate specific schedules for his visit to the U.S. this spring.

The Japanese government is considering a visit by Prime Minister Takaichi to the U.S. as early as March, with an eye on President Trump's visit to China in April.

Prime Minister Takaichi also stated that he conveyed his congratulations on the United States' 250th anniversary of its founding this year, and that he expressed his repeated respect for President Trump's diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine and issues in the Middle East.

The call was made at the request of Prime Minister Takaichi, according to Fuji News Network (FNN). Prime Minister Takaichi explained that he had been coordinating the call since the beginning of the year, and President Trump wished to speak on this particular day.