This article examines the official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to the United States, held on March 18–21, 2026, and its significance for the further evolution of the Japan–US alliance. The aim of the study is to determine to what extent this visit reflected Japan’s shift from a predominantly reactive diplomacy toward a more proactive yet institutionally constrained model of regional leadership. The analysis is based on the institutional approach, alliance theory, the concept of strategic autonomy, the logic of the “alliance dilemma,” and issues of economic security. The study highlights three interrelated areas: the security of maritime communications amid the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz, the positions of both sides regarding the Taiwan Strait, and the expansion of military-technical, technological, and economic cooperation. The conclusion is that the visit not only confirmed the stability of the alliance with the United States but also signaled Tokyo’s intention to expand its agency within the alliance system without directly engaging in high-risk military scenarios.

Japan, USA, Sanae Takaichi, Donald Trump, Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan Strait, Strait of Hormuz, strategic autonomy, alliance dilemma, economic security, critical minerals, Japan–US alliance, integrated deterrence.

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