November 27, 2025 | 01:35 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President of the United States Donald Trump advised Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not to provoke China over Taiwan's sovereignty, as reported by The Wall Street Journal as cited by CNA on Wednesday, amid escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.
This comes after Takaichi's statement in early November in front of parliament, implying that a Chinese attack on the self-governing democratic island could trigger a response involving the Japanese defense forces.
In a phone call with Trump on Monday, China's President Xi Jinping emphasized the always-sensitive issue, stating that the return of the island is an "integral part of the post-war international order," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Shortly after, "Trump set up a call with Takaichi and advised her not to provoke Beijing on the question of the island's sovereignty," as reported by WSJ, citing Japanese officials and an American briefed on the call.
According to the newspaper, Trump's advice was subtle, and he did not press Takaichi to retract her statements. A spokesperson for Takaichi's office declined to comment when contacted by the media.
In its report on the phone call, the Japanese Prime Minister said that she and Trump discussed their conversation with Xi, as well as the relationship between the two allies.
"President Trump said we are very close friends, and he offered that I should feel free to call him anytime," she said.
Previously, Trump praised Takaichi for her firm stance on defense, and during his recent visit to Japan, he highlighted the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance.
However, Takaichi's stance has angered Chinese President Xi Jinping, something the U.S. newspaper described as a "bad time for Trump, who is trying to build a relationship with the Chinese leader."
According to someone briefed on the call, Trump advised Takaichi to soften her statements regarding Taiwan.
The unnamed source added that Trump had been briefed on the domestic political constraints Takaichi faces. He realized that it was unlikely the first female Japanese prime minister would fully retract the statement that angered Beijing.
The article said that Japanese officials found Trump's message worrying, as it indicated that Trump does not want the Taiwan issue to disrupt the easing of tensions he reached with Xi last month. This includes a promise to buy more agricultural products from American farmers affected by the trade war.
Japan and China have been embroiled in diplomatic disputes since Beijing strongly condemned Takaichi's response to a parliamentary question on November 7, in which she said that a military attack on Taiwan could create a "situation threatening the survival" of Japan.
Her statement was interpreted as a signal that her government could allow the Self-Defense Forces to support the United States if China imposed a maritime blockade on Taiwan or used other forms of pressure.
China was furious over Takaichi's comments. Beijing summoned Tokyo's ambassador and urged its citizens not to travel to Japan.
At least two Japanese film releases have been postponed in China, according to Chinese state media.
The Communist Party-led Chinese government regards Taiwan as a rebellious province that must be reunited with the mainland, if necessary, by military force.
Beijing insists that the Taiwan issue - which has been separately governed since the 1949 civil war - is purely an "internal affair."
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