US President Donald Trump has publicly expressed his support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of Sunday's snap election.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Takaichi as a strong, wise leader who truly loves his country.
Such open support is rare for a US president to make for a foreign leader, but Trump has done so before.
The support comes as Japan seeks to mend ties with Washington after tensions over threatened import tariffs.
In July, the two countries reached a deal when Japan agreed to invest $550 billion in the United States, prompting the US to lower tariffs to 15%.
Takaichi, who has been prime minister since October, called the election to gain the people's mandate.
Shortly after, he welcomed Trump's visit with full ceremony, and the two leaders signed an agreement on rare earths and declared a new era in US-Japan relations.
The announcement of Trump's support comes as regional tensions rise, particularly over the Taiwan issue.
Japan-China relations are at their lowest point in more than a decade, with Takaichi previously angering Beijing by saying Japan might act in self-defense if China attacked Taiwan.
