Sanae Takaichi’s G7 mission: bridge Trump-bloc divides, polish ‘Iron Lady’ image

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s first attendance at this week’s G7 summit aims to turn her rapport with Donald Trump into a bridge between the US president and the bloc’s leaders, as she seeks to cement her image as Japan’s “Iron Lady”.During a working dinner at the three-day meeting which began in Evian, eastern France, on Monday, Takaichi also proposed a joint strategic stockpile partnership to boost critical mineral supply chains and dent China’s dominance in the sector.“I want to discuss urgent issues frankly with other leaders and demonstrate the G7’s unity in leading the international community’s response to the issues,” she told reporters ahead of the trip, her first to Europe since taking office last October.