US-Japan Leaders' Meeting Awkward: Trump Compares Action Against Iran to Pearl Harbor, Also Claims No One Knows "Sneak Attack" Better Than Japan

This article is reprinted from [Xinhua News Agency].

On March 19, U.S. President Donald Trump met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Yoshimura at the White House. During a joint press conference, Trump defended the large-scale military action against Iran, comparing the U.S. attack on Iran to Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, and claimed that Japan is the most knowledgeable about “surprise attacks,” causing an awkward moment on site.

Trump: No one understands “surprise attacks” better than Japan

When asked by a reporter why Japan and other allies were not informed in advance about the plans for the war against Iran, Trump said, “We want to surprise them. And who understands surprise attacks better than Japan? Why don’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Trump also said that no one understands “surprise attacks” better than Japan.

As Trump spoke, the scene erupted in laughter. Sitting nearby, Sanae Yoshimura widened her eyes, shifted slightly in her seat, and tried to keep a smile on her face.

On March 19, President Trump met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Yoshimura at the White House. Photo by AFP.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese military launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, destroying and heavily damaging several U.S. warships and over a hundred aircraft, resulting in about 2,400 American deaths. The next day, the U.S. declared war on Japan, marking the start of the Pacific War. This event was called “national shame” by then-U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and remains a painful memory for Americans.

On February 26, Iran and the U.S. held their third round of indirect talks in Geneva, Switzerland. No agreement was reached, but both sides gave positive evaluations and announced plans to continue technical discussions in Vienna, Austria, on March 2. However, on February 28, Israel and the U.S. suddenly launched a large-scale airstrike against Iran, killing Iran’s then-top leader Khamenei and several senior military and political officials. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

U.S. requests Yoshimura to support Iran conflict efforts

Trump stated that the two sides would discuss many issues including trade and energy, as well as Japan’s support for U.S. military actions against Iran.

During an open press session, Trump expressed satisfaction with Japan’s support in the Iran conflict and contrasted Japan with European allies, saying Japan “really stepped up” and is “not like NATO.” However, he did not provide specific details.

On March 19, President Trump met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Yoshimura at the White House. Photo by AFP.

Recently, Trump has repeatedly urged European countries and other allies to participate in escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, complaining that some allies are not enthusiastic about assisting the U.S… On the 17th, he posted on social media that most NATO allies have informed the U.S. they are unwilling to participate in military actions against Iran, and that the U.S. “no longer needs, nor expects” help from NATO countries.

Yoshimura said the meeting would focus especially on economic security cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in key areas such as energy and rare earths. She also brought specific suggestions to stabilize global energy markets.

According to Japan’s Kyodo News, after this meeting, Japan and the U.S. announced commercial cooperation projects totaling $73 billion, part of Japan’s $550 billion investment plan promised to gain U.S. tariff reductions.

This was Yoshimura’s first visit to the U.S. since becoming Japan’s Prime Minister in October 2025. Kyodo News reported that her main goal was to strengthen personal relations with Trump. (Reporters: Huang Qiang, Xu Jianmei, Hu Ruoyu, Hu Yousong, Zhou Xiaotian; Video: Zhang Miao)