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How Japan Reacted to Trump’s Pearl Harbor Joke

How Japan Reacted to Trump’s Pearl Harbor Joke

New York Times
by Javier C. Hernández and Hisako Ueno
March 20, 2026
1 min read

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Trump cites Pearl Harbor to defend Iran war decision: 'Who knows surprise better than Japan?' - AP News

Trump cites Pearl Harbor to defend Iran war decision: 'Who knows surprise better than Japan?' - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4AFBVV95cUxPclpWR09rY0hJZHdyVDdidjJRcUVfazFXTUZmU0dnZy1PUU02Tl9QbEI1bXBYaFJwUnYtRm9jMEdtUXlNQlMzUmgxdndnaEhueFg2anh6b1NRUzRsbDJzOG1NdEYxZlY0M0o2UTA5SHBmUVp0aHhJUGtCYjRSS1RNRWl1WjRzSURWSHRSVEpZUmJSdGdLVXA1dXBGcnFlbUJxMF9DWlktYTZlUE11SFhiellIcjNiVzU4MUk0OEJkTHpXNE9kQjFmVklmdjNkcE5OSDFWekQ5enhlTjNxdGlqSg?oc=5" target="_blank">Trump cites Pearl Harbor to defend Iran war decision: 'Who knows surprise better than Japan?'</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

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How Japan Reacted to Trump’s Pearl Harbor Joke - The New York Times

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Trump draws parallel between Pearl Harbor and US strikes on Iran in meeting with Japanese PM - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwFBVV95cUxOSWhVYmREVDZqdE5UMzFzckNMY0hYZXZGaHNpNEhSTmdjczl6VEFtLV9YeVh3N1lUQjBKQmpNOVZZdE5jb2k0YUo5V283bWxtYThzOWh4TkhxbHlMcGRvVXo0YmE0NkhMTFVMNjBLN29wc1BQM3JpWjhkTHd3b1o1X2tOX0t6MkpsWDNRMEpBenl0SkZmaUtFSjFtVU43NGluc0laSWc4N3JPZ3dQc2hkbkp1QzFNVEc4aVBYaU8zcVN5c255YWJzaGNhYjJCdUk?oc=5" target="_blank">Trump draws parallel between Pearl Harbor and US strikes on Iran in meeting with Japanese PM</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

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Trump makes Pearl Harbor remark in meeting with Japan's PM

President Trump compared US strikes on Iran to the deadly 1941 Japanese attack and declaration of war as part of World War Two.

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During Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Washington, Donald #Trump was asked why #US allies - including #Japan - were not involved in talks regarding strikes in #Iran before they happened. Trump said the reason was surprise, before asking why Japan hadn’t warned of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

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