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President Donald Trump is cozying up with top ally Japan’s emperor and new prime minister Monday ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Upon arrival in Tokyo, Trump sat down with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, the nation’s symbolic leader, at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace.
On Tuesday, Trump will meet Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.
The two are expected to bond over their fondness for Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former prime minister who was assassinated in 2022.
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“I look forward to meeting the new prime minister. I hear phenomenal things,” Trump said on Monday. “He was a great ally and friend of Shinzo Abe, who was my friend, the former prime minister. And he was great. He was one of my best … I know they were very close.”
“I think she’s going to be great,” he said of Takaichi.
Meanwhile, U.S. and China negotiators reported great progress in Malaysia on a potential trade deal, easing tensions ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting on Thursday.
Relations between the two world leaders had strained over China’s recent crackdown on critical mineral exports and Trump threatened to bring back the 100% tariff on Chinese goods.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit had eliminated the need for 100% tariffs, expected to take effect Nov. 1, and that he expects China to delay implementation of its restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets.
Trump and Xi are expected to sign off on the agreement during the meeting if talks go well.
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Takaichi took office last week and leads a right-wing coalition. Trump already congratulated the new prime minister on becoming Japan’s first female top leader.
Takaichi is expected to tout Japan’s efforts to increase defense spending, which long sat at 1% of GDP — a figure analysts say falls well short of what the U.S. is pushing for from its allies.
During the meeting with Trump, Takaichi is expected to face pressure to raise defense spending even further to match NATO’s 5% target.
Takaichi has expressed concern about Japan’s reliance on the U.S., but signaled intentions to work closely with Trump. She took office on a recent populist wave in Japan similar to the MAGA movement.
Trump’s suggestion that Japan should pay for U.S. troops in the region has spooked some Japanese officials. Around 60,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed in Japan, making it the largest foreign host of U.S. forces.
Adding to those concerns, a trade framework in July placed a 15% tariff on imported Japanese goods, with higher rates for steel, aluminum and auto parts.
Despite these challenges, both sides are expected to use this week’s meetings to reaffirm what Trump has called “the most important partnership in Asia,” setting the stage for his critical summit with Xi later this week.
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