Only Donald Trump can bring peace, says Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

Washington: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told President Donald Trump on Thursday that she believed he alone could deliver peace in a world facing a severe security crisis, as the two leaders met at the White House against the backdrop of tensions in the Middle East and growing fears over the global economy.?

“Right now, situations in the Middle East and also the entire world, we are actually experiencing a very severe security environment,” Takaichi said, warning that “the global economy is now about to experience a huge hit because of these developments.”?

“I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world,” she added, pledging to work with partners across the international community to stabilise the situation.? Trump, welcoming Takaichi, praised her leadership and electoral victory, saying she had “won a tremendous election in a record-setting fashion.” He added, “We have a very popular, powerful woman and she’s a great woman,” and said the two countries shared “a very fine relationship.”?

The leaders said they would discuss trade, security and broader cooperation.?

On Iran, Trump ruled out sending U.S. troops. “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you, but I’m not putting troops,” he said.?

At the same time, he expressed confidence about the course of the conflict. “It’s going to be over with pretty soon. We’ve obliterated. We’ve obliterated their just about everything obliterated, including leadership,” he said.?

Trump also said allies should contribute more, though he downplayed U.S. dependence on them. “We don’t need much. We don’t need anything, honestly, from Japan or anyone else. But I think it’s appropriate that people step up,” he said, adding that Japan was “really stepping up to the plate… unlike NATO.”?

He signalled readiness to act on Iran’s energy infrastructure if needed. “We can take out the island anytime we want. I call it the little oil island that sits there, totally unprotected,” he said.?

On oil markets, Trump said the administration would intervene to stabilise prices. “We will do whatever is necessary to keep the price as low,” he said, noting that markets had held steady, adding, “the Dow just hit 50,000… I thought it would be worse.”? (IANS)

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