President Donald Trump welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to the White House on Friday, February 7, marking their first official meeting. The two leaders struck a warm tone, emphasizing mutual admiration and shared goals in addressing trade imbalances and regional security issues. Trump's praise for Ishiba's appearance and the latter's excitement at meeting the U.S. President set a positive backdrop for discussions on North Korea, trade deficits, and geopolitical challenges posed by China.
Trump praised Ishiba as "good looking," one of his highest forms of compliment, setting a cordial atmosphere for the discussions. Ishiba, who assumed office in October and had no previous relationship with Trump, expressed excitement at meeting the U.S. leader in person.
"I was so excited to see such a celebrity on television in person," Ishiba remarked.
He further noted that Trump, who often appears formidable on screen, was sincere and powerful in person.
"But when I met with him actually he was very sincere and very powerful." – Ishiba
The meeting highlighted pressing security concerns in Asia, particularly North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea, underscoring the importance of maintaining stability in the region.
Trade was another major topic of discussion. Trump announced progress on Nippon Steel's blocked $14.9 billion attempt to take over US Steel and stressed the importance of reducing the trade deficit with Tokyo. Currently standing at $100 billion, Trump expressed his intention to work with Ishiba to balance this figure to an "even" level.
"We're going to have tariffs, mostly reciprocal tariffs… and I'm going to be probably meeting on that on Monday… that's the only fair way to do it," Trump stated.
Japan currently enjoys a trade surplus with the U.S., with a 2024 goods trade surplus recorded at $68.5 billion. Trump highlighted investment plans by Japanese firms like Toyota and Isuzu and discussed increasing imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas as part of efforts to balance trade relations.
Ishiba reiterated Japan's commitment to boosting its investment in the United States, which he described as "unprecedented" and capable of creating numerous jobs across America.
On regional security, both leaders rejected China's unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea. They voiced opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, addressing issues such as China's pressure on Taiwan and Japanese claims in the East China Sea.
In a move to strengthen diplomatic ties further, Trump accepted an invitation from Ishiba to visit Japan "in the near future." This visit is expected to solidify their burgeoning partnership and address ongoing strategic interests.
Leave a Reply