Japan Formally Denies WSJ Report on Trump's Alleged Advice to PM Takaichi Regarding Taiwan

TOKYO - The Japanese government on Thursday formally denied a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that suggested a recent conversation between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi included a specific warning about Taiwan.

The WSJ article had claimed that President Trump advised Prime Minister Takaichi not to provoke China concerning the sensitive issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty.

However, official spokespersons in Tokyo have categorically refuted this account. 

They confirmed that a high-level discussion took place but stated that the specific details reported particularly any direct advice from the US President to the Japanese Prime Minister about avoiding provocation over Taiwan are inaccurate.

This denial underscores the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan Strait issue and the close diplomatic balancing act required by both the United States and Japan in their relationship with Beijing. The Japanese government is keen to manage the public perception of its diplomatic exchanges with Washington, especially regarding matters of regional security and China-Japan relations.