US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "a stronger Japan makes America stronger in Asia" following the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's landslide victory in Japan's general election under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
"Japan held its earliest snap election in history, and she won by a landslide," Bessent said in a Fox News interview on the 8th (local time). "President Donald Trump endorsed her last week. She is a great ally and maintains a good relationship with the president."
The remarks signal growing ties between the US and Japan as Tokyo accelerates investment in America. Takaichi is expected to visit Washington DC on the 18th of next month for a US-Japan summit.
Bessent said the US does not want "disengagement" from China's economy but needs to "de-risk." On Iran's economic situation, he noted, "We are watching the rats flee the ship," adding that "the Iranian leadership is frantically moving funds overseas."