Red carpet vs empty tarmac: Xi’s US welcome fuels debate over Takaichi’s no-show reception

Starkly contrasting receptions for the Japanese leader and the Chinese president in the United States have sparked debate over Washington’s treatment of Tokyo as an ally.

Sanae Takaichi arrived in New York at the start of the working week, beginning a trip where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time as the country’s prime minister. A photo taken on her arrival shows her waving across a…