United States-Japan Foundation President and CEO Jacob M. Schlesinger was recently interviewed by CNN and Foreign Policy, offering expert analysis on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's leadership and the future of U.S.-Japan relations.
In Foreign Policy (October 21), Schlesinger examined how Takaichi's political identity and approach could shape her diplomacy with Washington. "Takaichi models herself as the heir to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who set the gold standard for dealing with Trump," he noted. "The trick for her will be not just following his policies, but his ability to charm a mercurial president. It will be interesting to see how the new factor of gender plays into this relationship."
On CNN (October 27), Schlesinger assessed Takaichi's first meeting with President Donald Trump as "hugely significant in either a positive or negative way." While Takaichi aims to continue Abe's strong Washington ties, Schlesinger highlighted challenges facing the new administration. "Abe had a very strong grip on power with a very large majority in both houses of parliament," he explained. "In contrast, Prime Minister Takaichi has a very weak minority government right now. Even if she wants to take bold moves that President Trump is eager to see, it's not clear she can deliver."
Read the full Foreign Policy article at https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/21/japan-elections-prime-minister-conservative-takaichi/.
Watch the CNN interview at https://video.snapstream.net/Play/3aIKusK8YZEokECuvQ2TLC?accessToken=mzjijg9r9oso.