Japan’s leader heads to D.C. bearing gifts of peace for a president at war

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Democracy Dies in Darkness

Japan’s super-popular prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, will visit the White House on Thursday, as President Donald Trump looks to allies for military help against Iran.

March 18, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. EDT17 minutes ago

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi with U.S. President Donald Trump as he speaks during their visit to a U.S. Navy base south of Tokyo on Oct. 28. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s first official visit to Washington this week was supposed to be a triumphant celebration of the friendship, with a gift of 250 Japanese cherry trees to mark America’s big birthday. Instead, she will be greeted by a wartime president who’s looking for a different kind of gift from her country: Military assistance in the Middle East.