How did Japan Navigate Trump's Pressure on Iran?

About this episode

The episode discusses Japan's diplomatic strategies under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in response to U.S. pressure regarding Iran.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was the first U.S. ally to visit President Trump in the White House after he called on allies to help with the war on Iran. Nick Szechenyi joins Will to discuss what Takaichi had hoped to achieve in her visit, how she handled Trump's pressure, and the playbook she's developing for U.S. allies. Kristi Govella and Jane Nakano, "What Are the Implications of the Iran Conflict for Japan?" CSIS, March 20, 2026. "Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strengthens U.S.-Japan Alliance for the Benefit of All Americans," The White House, March 19, 2026.

People in this episode

Host: Will

Guests: Sanae Takaichi, Nick Szechenyi

Topics covered

• U.S.-Japan relations
• Iran conflict
• diplomacy
• Trump administration
• international pressure

Keywords

• Japan
• Trump
• Iran
• diplomacy
• Sanae Takaichi
• U.S. allies
• international relations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Center for Strategic and International Studies, The White House, CSIS

Places: Japan, United States

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