U.S. President Donald Trump touted his country's alliance with Japan in a statement released Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima in the closing days of World War II.
"In spite of a brutal war, the United States-Japan alliance represents the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," the statement said.
The bloody battle fought on the Pacific island between February and March of 1945 claimed some 21,900 lives on the Japanese side and about 6,800 among American forces. Iwo Jima, part of Tokyo and now known formally as Ioto, is located some 1,250 kilometers south of the capital.
While upholding his "America First" policy and transactional diplomacy, Trump has been emphasizing the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship since his first term, from 2017 to 2021.
At his first face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Washington on Feb. 7, Trump said that the United States is fully committed to the security of Japan.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.