Akie Abe, the widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, met with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Dec. 15.
Sharing the news in a social media post on X, soon-to-be First Lady Melania Trump said it was “a privilege” to host Japan’s former first lady at the Trumps’ Palm Beach home again.
Shinzo Abe was Japan’s longest-serving leader. He held the office of prime minister from 2012 until 2020. He was assassinated on July 8, 2022, while delivering a campaign speech.
The Trumps enjoyed a friendly relationship with the Abes during the first Trump administration. After the 2016 presidential election, Shinzo Abe was the first world leader to congratulate Trump in person, gifting him a gold-painted golf club.
In the years following, the Trumps hosted the Abes often—including on Melania’s 49th birthday, which they celebrated over dinner at the White House.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was denied a meeting with Trump last month. Ishiba, who was sworn in on Oct. 1, had hoped to stop and meet with the president-elect after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Lima, Peru. He told reporters that Trump’s team informed him that the Logan Act prohibits such a visit before the inauguration.
The Logan Act, dating back to 1799, bars private citizens from engaging in diplomatic talks or negotiations with foreign leaders on the United States’ behalf without the permission of the federal government.
The president-elect had dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 28. But even if that visit violated the law, it is unlikely to result in any legal action.
Despite its frequent discussion as a political matter, the Logan Act has only been enforced twice in U.S. history. Both cases occurred in the 19th century and neither resulted in a conviction.
Trump will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 2025.
