{
  "id": 9897411,
  "title": "Will the Trump-Xi wartime ally nostalgia prompt a Japanese rethink on China ties?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/will-the-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-a-japanese-rethink-on-9897411",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-26T03:00:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368878/will-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-japanese-rethink-china-ties"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly attempting to arrange a phone call with US President Donald Trump in the wake of the latter's references to the wartime alliance between the United States and China during World War II. Trump made these remarks during his welcoming remarks for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who visited Washington for the first time in over a decade. These comments, which brought about a sharp reaction in Tokyo, stirred concern among Japanese officials. Takaichi expressed Tokyo and Washington's strong alliance based on mutual trust, but declined to comment on the Trump-Xi summit. Takaichi had rescheduled her address to the UN General Assembly to secure a meeting with Trump, who was present at the summit. Analysts warned that this nostalgia for the wartime alliance could spell trouble for Japan. Chinese observers believe this moment should prompt Japan to reconsider its stance towards China, while Japanese analysts cautioned against reading too much into the rhetoric. They noted that while the remarks were surprising and awkward, they were made in the context of the US-China relationship. Some experts cautioned that China might exploit the amicable atmosphere to use it as a propaganda tool. However, Tokyo is less worried about the direct impact of this single statement on the US-Japan alliance. Despite the concerns, Tokyo is expected to continue its engagement with Beijing through legislative and commercial dialogue, aiming for a potential meeting between Takaichi and Xi at the APEC summit in Shenzhen.",
  "summary": "Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is trying to arrange a phone call with US President Donald Trump. This follows Trump's recent comments with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where they both referenced their countries' wartime alliance against Japan in World War II. According to Reuters Business via SCMP, these comments caused concern in Tokyo.\n\nTakaichi stated that Tokyo and Washington are \"allies bound by very strong ties\" based on mutual trust, but she declined to comment on the Trump-Xi summit. She rescheduled her address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York to secure a meeting with Trump. Japanese media reported that Takaichi was considering a direct briefing from Trump on the summit.\n\nSome Japanese analysts believe the wartime nostalgia bodes poorly for Japan, while Chinese observers think it should prompt Tokyo to rethink its approach towards Beijing. Shin Kawashima, a professor at the University of Tokyo, was quoted by Reuters Business via SCMP as sharing his analysis.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "title": "Will the Trump-Xi wartime ally nostalgia prompt a Japanese rethink on China ties?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/will-the-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-a-japanese-rethink-on",
        "published": "2026-09-26T03:00:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}