Sanae Takaichi, a leading contender in Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race, suggested Sunday that Japan may seek to renegotiate elements of a major trade agreement with the United States if the deal fails to serve Tokyo’s national interests.
“We must stand our ground if anything unfair that is not in Japan’s interests comes to light in the process of implementing the deal,” Takaichi said during a live appearance on Fuji TV, referring to a $550 billion Japanese investment fund tied to an agreement to lower U.S. tariffs. “That includes a potential renegotiation.”
Her remarks come less than a week before the LDP chooses a new leader from five candidates, a decision that will effectively determine Japan’s next prime minister.
Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi currently leads in lawmaker support, with about 30% of lawmakers considering voting for him, according to polls by Sankei Shimbun and broadcaster JNN. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi placed second, followed by Takaichi, while around 20% of lawmakers remain undecided.
If no candidate secures an outright majority in the first round, the top two will advance to a runoff, competing for 342 ballots — 295 cast by lawmakers and 47 by regional party branches.
Koizumi, speaking on the same Fuji TV broadcast, defended the trade deal with Washington. “If any issues arise, they will be discussed at the appropriate level,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday, all five candidates also appeared on public broadcaster NHK, where they addressed the potential late-October visit to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the APEC summit in South Korea. The contenders pledged to strengthen personal ties with Trump and reinforce the strategic importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Hayashi emphasized continuity with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s administration, saying he would seek to build “a solid relationship of trust” with the U.S. leader. He added that he hoped to “work together with him to Make America Great Again and bring back the middle class,” pointing to cooperation in manufacturing and job creation in the United States.
The leadership race, which has underscored differing approaches to trade and foreign relations, is shaping up as one of the most closely watched in years, with its outcome likely to shape Japan’s stance toward Washington at a critical moment for global trade.
