Tuesday¡¯s meeting between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump marked the first test for the man set to play a leading role in Japan¡¯s foreign policy strategy ¡ª Keiichi Ichikawa.
Minutes before the two leaders sat down for talks at the Akasaka Palace, Japan¡¯s top security adviser was already mingling with senior American officials in the room, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ichikawa¡¯s surprise appointment to the post last week was widely interpreted as a sign of Takaichi¡¯s determination to forge her own path even in bureaucratic appointments.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.