Overview
- Chinese leader Xi Jinping sharply criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Tokyo’s defense buildup during his May 14–15 summit with President Donald Trump in Beijing, sources and reporting say.
- President Trump called Takaichi aboard Air Force One on May 15 to praise her and reaffirm U.S.-Japan ties, though neither government has released details of the conversation.
- China’s Foreign Ministry publicly condemned Japan’s policy as a slide toward neo-militarism and Beijing has already used trade and travel measures in response to earlier Japanese remarks on Taiwan.
- U.S. officials were reportedly surprised that Japan’s posture was raised at the leaders’ talks because it had not been part of preparatory briefings, and media leaks have shaped public understanding in the absence of full official accounts.
- The exchange exposes strains on trilateral diplomacy as Tokyo relaxes arms-export rules and signals shifts on nuclear policy, which could affect U.S. weapons deliveries, allied reassurance and upcoming high-level meetings.