Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is attending her first G7 summit this week in Evian, France, with a dual mission: using her rapport with Donald Trump to bridge divides between the US president and other bloc leaders, and burnishing her image as Japan’s “Iron Lady”. The three-day meeting began Monday with a working dinner, where she aims to position Tokyo as a key diplomatic intermediary.
Takaichi’s strategy reflects growing anxiety among allies about transatlantic cohesion under Trump’s unpredictable leadership. By personally mediating, she hopes to prevent fractures that could weaken collective responses to shared challenges, particularly from China and North Korea. Her “Iron Lady” persona is a calculated rebranding effort.
During the working dinner, Takaichi proposed a joint strategic stockpile partnership for critical minerals, according to the report. The initiative is designed to secure supply chains and reduce Chinese dominance in the sector. No specific metals or funding amounts were disclosed by the source.
The minerals proposal signals Japan’s push for tangible cooperation beyond diplomacy. If adopted, it could reshape global supply chains for resources essential to EVs, electronics, and defense. Success hinges on whether Trump and other leaders embrace the plan amid competing priorities.
Critics argue Takaichi’s close ties to Trump may alienate European leaders wary of his transactional approach. Others note the stockpile plan lacks detail and faces huge implementation hurdles across divergent regulatory systems.