PM Ishiba of Japan to Meet President Trump in America
Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan will meet President Donald Trump of America during his three-day visit. It will be the first direct meeting between Ishiba and Trump.
Ishiba is in a weak position in Japan after failing to win a majority in the Lower House election.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, said, “If circumstances permit, he will visit the United States from February 6-8 and hold (his) first face-to-face Japan-US summit meeting with President Trump in Washington DC.”
Naturally, Japan seeks to maintain strong ties with America – and given the dramatic differences between the last American administration under Joe Biden, Japan will seek a fresh approach with Trump.
Ishiba will agree to new trade angles. For example, Japan is likely to increase shale gas imports from America. At the same time, Ishiba will expect to discuss the Nippon Steel bid concerning US steel. This bid was blocked by Biden.
Lee Jay Walker (Modern Tokyo Times analyst) says, “Trump and Ishiba will agree about strengthening ties between America and Japan. However, the rhetoric against China and the Russian Federation will be milder under Trump.”
Ishiba said, “As the balance of power in the region undergoes a historic change, we must deepen Japan-US cooperation further, in a concrete manner.”
Ishiba continued: Japan will “continue to secure the US commitment to the region, to avoid a power vacuum leading to regional instability.”
Japan needs to service its debt. Hence, the America First policy of Trump is likely to entail that Japan needs to increase its defense spending. In recent years, Japan followed the anti-China and anti-Russian Federation rhetoric of the Biden administration. However, for Trump, it will be about Japan sharing its economic responsibilities concerning the military angle.
The meeting will be cordial – but it will lack the dynamism that existed between Trump and the late Shinzo Abe. Under Abe’s leadership, you could feel the warmth between Abe and Trump. However, Ishiba is more pragmatic and cautious.
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