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2026 February 4 - 10 [POLITICS]

Tamura: Gov’t should protest Trump for interfering in Japan’s domestic affairs

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko on February 6 commented on U.S. President Donald Trump offering his endorsement to Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, saying, “His act is totally unacceptable as it constitutes interference in Japan’s domestic affairs. The Japanese government should protest against this endorsement by President Trump.”

Tamura made this remark at a press conference in Kanagawa’s Kawasaki City where she went to increase support for the JCP in the February 8 general election.

President Trump on February 5 in his post on social media stated that he gave a “Complete and Total Endorsement” of PM Takaichi and the Liberal Democratic-“Ishin” government. He also announced that he will meet PM Takaichi at the White House next month. It is unprecedented that a U.S. president publicly supports a specific candidate in Japan’s national election.

The Japanese government avoided making a comment on this. Tamura severely criticized the government’s unwillingness to object to interference from Trump as being unacceptable.

Tamura noted that the U.S. Trump administration is urging the Japanese government to increase its military budget to 5% of GDP. She said, “Grilled about this request, PM Takaichi said that she will make an ‘independent judgement’.” However, Tamura added, “Given the government’s weak-kneed attitude toward Trump’s internal interference, I don’t think the government can refuse to accept that massive military expansion demand.”

Tamura said, “The need is to realize a Japan which is not subservient to the United States and is capable of criticizing any act disregarding the ‘rule of law’.”