Online comparisons of the two leaders’ arrivals in the US this week have raised questions over how Washington treats its Tokyo ally
2-MIN READ2-MIN1 ListenFan ChenPublished: 8:20pm, 24 Sep 2026Starkly contrasting receptions for the Japanese leader and the Chinese president in the United States have sparked debate over Washington’s treatment of Tokyo as an ally.
A photo taken on her arrival shows her waving across a relatively empty tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Footage released by the Japanese prime minister’s office on Tuesday showed Takaichi being greeted by several Japanese officials, with no senior US representatives present.
