PM Takaichi Moves Intl Cooperation One Step Forward; Importance of Democracy, Law Must be Rediscovered

By Riichiro Maeki / Senior Managing Director in Charge of Editorial of The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:20 JST, March 21, 2026

The conflict in the Middle East shows no signs of abating, and the impact on the global economy is only growing. With no quick remedy available, the situation is becoming a quagmire.

At her summit meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did everything she could in her role as Japanese prime minister. Speaking directly about the importance of de-escalation, she called the president indispensable for global peace and prosperity and pledged to support him by approaching other nations.

A potential dispatch of Japanese naval vessels was on her mind when, in response to the president’s requests for support, she explained that there are legal limits on what Japan can and cannot do. She also presented concrete measures to quiet down the energy market.

Past prime ministers have felt an indescribable “fear” before their summit meetings with U.S. presidents. As Japan’s biggest ally, the United States has the fate of Japan’s security and economy in its hands. There is zero margin for error at these meetings. Moreover, sitting across from Takaichi was Trump, a president at war who has been venting his anger at U.S. allies day in and day out. Takaichi must have been under enormous pressure. Just before departing from Japan, she said, “I will protect the lives of the [Japanese] people to the very end.”

The reality of the world is so cruel and gruesome that the importance of even such seemingly obvious words needs to be fully grasped. The international community is delicately balanced, and getting off on the wrong foot is enough to pull the whole thing down. Since the end of World War II, nations have racked their brains to create all kinds of frameworks for cooperation, including the United Nations. What has been built is as close as we can get to a balanced international order.

This summit is unlikely to bring about immediate, significant results. However, just before it took place, six countries, including Japan and the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement vowing to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first achievement involving international cooperation since the start of the conflict. The international community must not neglect these sorts of cooperative efforts. Instead of ruling through strength, the importance of the rule of law and democracy must be recognized anew, and the international order must be rebuilt. Japan has its own channels of communication with Iran. The prime minister should strengthen her efforts to approach nations as she said she would during the summit.