U.S. President Donald Trump departed for Tokyo on Monday, where he is set to meet Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as part of an Asia tour aimed at boosting trade, investment, and defence cooperation.
On his longest foreign trip since taking office in January, Trump has already announced a series of agreements with Southeast Asian nations and oversaw the signing of a ceasefire deal between Thailand and Cambodia during his first stop in Malaysia.
His week-long tour will conclude with a summit in South Korea on Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two leaders are expected to seek ways to prevent further escalation in their trade dispute.
Having already secured a $550 billion investment pledge from Japan in exchange for relief from tariffs, Trump is expected to discuss additional economic commitments, as Takaichi looks to strengthen ties through new purchases of U.S. vehicles, soybeans, and energy products.
“Just leaving Malaysia, a great and very vibrant country. Signed major Trade and Rare Earth Deals, and yesterday, most importantly, signed the Peace Treaty between Thailand and Cambodia. NO WAR! Millions of lives saved,” Trump wrote on Truth Social before his departure. “Such an honour to have gotten this done. Now, off to Japan!!!”
Takaichi, who last week became Japan’s first female prime minister, told Trump in their first phone call that reinforcing the Japan-U.S. alliance was her “top priority.”
Thousands of police have been deployed across Tokyo for Trump’s visit, following the arrest of a knife-wielding man outside the U.S. Embassy on Friday and the announcement of anti-Trump protests in central Shinjuku.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his Japanese counterpart Ryosei Akazawa, who negotiated the July tariff agreement, are scheduled for a working lunch on Monday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both accompanying Trump, will also meet Japanese officials for the first time.
Imperial welcome and high-stakes diplomacy
Trump’s visit begins with a ceremonial meeting with Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace — a symbolic engagement recalling his first encounter with the monarch in 2019. Substantive talks will follow on Tuesday with Prime Minister Takaichi at the Akasaka Palace, the same venue where Trump met former leader Shinzo Abe six years ago.
Takaichi, a close ally of the late Abe, has already earned Trump’s praise. “She’s great… we’re going to be seeing her very soon. She’s very friendly,” he told reporters on Saturday. “She was a very close ally and friend of Prime Minister Abe, and you know he was one of my favourites.”
Beyond economic pledges, Takaichi is expected to reassure Trump that Japan remains committed to enhancing its defence capabilities, having pledged to accelerate the country’s largest military build-up since World War Two.
Japan hosts the largest contingent of U.S. forces overseas, and Trump has previously criticised Tokyo for not contributing enough to its own defence amid growing tensions with China.
“Some kind of statement reaffirming that the two nations stand shoulder-to-shoulder in deterring any attempt to change the regional status quo by force would be valuable,” said Kevin Maher, a Japan expert at NMV Consulting in Washington and former U.S. diplomat.
While Takaichi has vowed to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP, her ability to meet any further U.S. demands may be limited, as her ruling coalition lacks a parliamentary majority.
After Japan, Trump will travel to Gyeongju, South Korea, for talks with President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday, though officials say a long-discussed trade deal is unlikely to be finalised.
Trump’s final stop will be Thursday’s meeting with President Xi in South Korea. The two sides have recently exchanged tariff hikes and threats over key minerals and technologies. Expectations for a breakthrough remain low, with officials focusing instead on managing disputes and laying the groundwork for Trump’s planned visit to China early next year.
A man carrying a Georgian passport has been arrested in Warsaw over the murder of an exiled Kremlin critic in Poland, authorities said. Police said th...
Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate cooperation on transport corridors, giving Kazakhstan access to key Iranian ports in a move aimed at str...
A U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war has been signed electronically by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud ...
Thailand is reviving plans for one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, a proposed $30 billion “Land Bridge” that would conne...
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has delivered a stark message to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies, warning that some member stat...
A man carrying a Georgian passport has been arrested in Warsaw over the murder of an exiled Kremlin critic in Poland, authorities said. Police said the passport was issued to a 36-year-old Georgian citizen.
Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate cooperation on transport corridors, giving Kazakhstan access to key Iranian ports in a move aimed at strengthening trade routes and reducing reliance on transit routes through neighbouring countries.
Thailand is reviving plans for one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, a proposed $30 billion “Land Bridge” that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea and offer an alternative trade route to the busy Strait of Malacca.
An exiled Russian artist has been shot dead in Poland days after he carried out a one-man protest against Vladimir Putin, featuring a caricature of the Russian President as a baby held by the Soviet-era dictator Joseph Stalin.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
A cyber extortion group has claimed it stole more than a terabyte of data from Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk after the company allegedly refused to pay a $25 million ransom.
Pakistan's heavy reliance on imported energy was laid bare by the U.S.-Iran conflict, which disrupted regional supplies, drove up costs and exposed vulnerabilities in the country's energy security. However, a proposed peace agreement now offers hope for economic relief.
American technology company Snap has launched its first augmented-reality (AR) glasses for consumers, marking a major push into wearable computing as tech firms race to redefine personal devices in the AI era.
A man carrying a Georgian passport has been arrested in Warsaw over the murder of an exiled Kremlin critic in Poland, authorities said. Police said the passport was issued to a 36-year-old Georgian citizen.
Thailand is reviving plans for one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, a proposed $30 billion “Land Bridge” that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea and offer an alternative trade route to the busy Strait of Malacca.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has delivered a stark message to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies, warning that some member states are falling short on defence commitments and signalling a tougher U.S. approach as the alliance prepares for its upcoming summit in Ankara.
North Korea has withdrawn its ambassador to the United Kingdom just one month after he arrived in London, in a move linked to British sanctions on a children's camp, according to reports.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has told U.S. President Donald Trump to "stay out" of Brazil's upcoming election, pushing back against comments made by the American leader about the country's political situation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment