October 26, 2025
Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made her diplomatic debut this week at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, marking her first major step onto the international stage since taking office earlier this month.
Her agenda underscores Japan’s renewed strategic drive: strengthening the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision, deepening engagement with Southeast Asian partners, and preparing for an anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump later this month.
A Strategic Debut for Japan’s New Leader
At the ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Takaichi outlined Japan’s priorities in maintaining regional stability, advancing digital cooperation, and promoting rule-based international order. Her debut highlighted Japan’s determination to take a leading role in navigating the geopolitical and technological challenges of the Indo-Pacific region.
Following the summit, Takaichi is expected to meet with President Trump — her first bilateral summit as Japan’s leader — to reaffirm the centrality of the U.S.–Japan alliance to global security and technological leadership. In their recent phone call, she told Trump that the alliance remains her government’s “top foreign-policy priority,” a sentiment Trump reciprocated, calling for “stronger coordination in peace, trade, and AI-driven innovation.”
Alliance, Innovation, and the AI Age
Takaichi’s leadership symbolizes a pivotal moment for Japan’s democracy: combining technological transformation, ethical governance, and strategic autonomy. Her rise also carries significance for the Boston Global Forum (BGF), which honored her in 2023 with the World Leader in AIWS Award for her commitment to building a human-centered, secure, and ethical digital society.
As Takaichi now turns her vision toward diplomacy, her ability to integrate AI governance and ethical technology into Japan’s foreign policy will define her international influence.
A Message of Continuity and Renewal
For Japan, this ASEAN appearance and forthcoming Washington meeting signal both continuity and renewal — continuity in the U.S.–Japan alliance, and renewal in the nation’s leadership in digital transformation and AI policy.
For the Boston Global Forum and AI World Society (AIWS) family, Takaichi’s debut offers hope that Japan will play a pioneering role in AIWS Government 24/7, ethical digital assets, and AI governance for peace and humanity — advancing a future where innovation and moral leadership walk hand in hand.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/25/japan/politics/takaichi-diplomatic-debut-asean-trump/
