US President Donald Trump met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House on Thursday, where the two leaders discussed a range of issues, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The meeting took a lighter turn when a Japanese reporter asked Trump why the US had not informed its allies in advance about the operation against Iran.
In response, Trump offered a witty remark, saying he wanted to keep the move a โsurprise,โ adding with a quip that โno one understands surprises better than Japan.โ
โWe didnโt tell anybody about this because we wanted to give a surprise. Who knows better about surprises than Japan. Why didn’t you tell ME about PEARL HARBOR? You believe in surprise much more-so than the US,โ Trump quips.
Reference of Trumpโs remark
Notably, on December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet at its naval base in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, aiming to cripple American naval power and facilitate its expansion in Southeast Asia. This action ultimately drew the United States into World War II.
Trump-Takaichi meeting
Japanโs Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday to reinforce the strong ties between their countries. The visit came after Trump criticised Japan earlier this week for not joining other nations in supporting the protection of the Strait of Hormuz.
During their meeting, Takaichi highlighted Japanโs opposition to Iranโs nuclear ambitions. Speaking through an interpreter, she appealed to Trumpโs reputation as a global peacemaker, saying, โEven against that backdrop, I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world.โ
Takaichi and her ministers, however, denied that Washington officially requested Japanese warships for the US-Israeli operation.