Japan PM Seeks Urgent Call With Trump Over Beijing Summit Details

Japanese Prime Minister Sanay Takaichi is working intensively to arrange an urgent phone call with US President Donald Trump, aiming to get a full briefing on the discussions he held in Beijing. Government sources told Japan's public broadcaster NHK that Takaichi wants to know the specifics of Trump's conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tokyo is paying particularly close attention to the content of the US-China negotiations, especially those touching on Taiwan and its surrounding region, according to the same sources. The Japanese government is also seeking to clarify Beijing's stance on restrictions affecting exports of rare earth elements, materials that are essential for electronics manufacturing.

Intensified Intelligence Gathering

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated during a press conference in Tokyo on May 14 that the government intends to step up its efforts to collect information on Trump's talks in Beijing, with a focus on matters affecting Japanese interests.

Trump is currently on a visit to China running from May 13 to 15. He held a final round of talks with Xi Jinping on May 15 and is expected to depart the country afterward.