Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
We chairman donald trump Japan’s first female leader highly praised Sanae Takaichi And said the Asian nation would become America’s “strongest level ally” as they signed the agreements. rare earth and Business.
Just weeks after making history as Japan’s first female prime minister, the meeting with the US president served as a high-stakes test of diplomacy for Takaichi.
“From what I know from Shinzo and others, you will be one of the great prime ministers,” Trump told Takaichi as he sat down to discuss with aides at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo. Trump said becoming Japan’s first female prime minister was a “big deal.” He was referring to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was assassinated in 2022.
Trump and Takachi sign an agreement declaring a “new golden age of the US-Japan alliance” Increasing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths.
The two governments released a list of projects in the energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals sectors, with Japanese companies eyeing investments worth up to $400 billion in the US.
Tokyo earlier this year pledged to provide $550 billion in strategic US investments, loans and guarantees as part of a deal to seek relief from Trump’s punitive import tariffs.
Trump expressed hope that the two sides have resolved their trade differences.
“I want you to know that anytime you have any questions, any doubts, anything you want, need any help, anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there,” Trump said. “We are allies at the strongest level.”
“We’re going to do tremendous business together, I think, more than ever,” Trump said, adding that ties between Tokyo and Washington would be “stronger than ever.”
The two agreements signed by the countries were loosely defined, and there was little discussion or progress on the details of the sweeping trade agreement struck in July to block Trump’s hefty tariffs.
Both the leaders emphasized on their shared relations Abe. Takaichi is a disciple of Trump’s late friend and golfing buddy Abe.
Takaichi repeatedly noted Abe’s affection for Trump and praised his efforts to resolve global conflicts, including his role in promoting peace in the Middle East.
He presented Trump with a golf bag signed by Japanese professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama and a putter that was once owned by Abe. Over a lunch of American rice and beef and vegetables from Takachi’s hometown of Nara, he presented Trump with a map of major investments made by Japanese companies in the United States since his last visit in 2009.
Takaichi said, “I would like to realize a new golden age of the Japan-US alliance, where both Japan and the United States will be stronger and more prosperous.”
Both countries agreed to work together through policy measures, trade initiatives and coordinated investments aimed at promoting the production of critical minerals.
The US is accelerating efforts to diversify its sources of these vital resources and reduce its dependence on China, which dominates global mineral processing and has recently tightened export controls.
In recent days, Washington has signed a series of rare earth agreements with Malaysia, Thailand and Australia – part of a broader effort to secure the materials needed for electronics, electric vehicles and military technology.
Japan, meanwhile, has significant reserves of rare earths, although much of it lies beneath the seabed, posing major challenges to extraction.
Later in the day, Trump, accompanied by Takaichi, disembarked from Marine One aboard the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier currently docked in Japan. Aboard the USS George Washington, Trump addressed thousands of American troops, praising the US-Japan alliance as “born from the ashes” of World War II.
Speaking from the same forum, the Japanese leader said Japan was facing an “unprecedentedly severe security environment”.
“Peace cannot be protected by words alone,” he said. “It can be defended only with unwavering determination and action.”
At a State Ministry briefing on Tuesday, China called on Japan to “sincerely respect the security concerns of its neighbors” after the US and Japan showcased their ties.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said, “We urge Japan to sincerely respect the security concerns of its neighbors, deeply reflect on its history of aggression, pursue the path of peaceful development, and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions.”
It came as the Japanese prime minister’s office said Trump and Takachi agreed to strongly advocate for a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The phrase “free and open Indo-Pacific” was first introduced by Takachi’s political mentor Abe in 2016 as a direct response to China’s regional ambitions. It became a pillar of Japan’s foreign policy and was later adopted by successive US administrations.
Mr Trump is on the second leg of his week-long tour of Asia after visiting Malaysia, where he attended the ASEAN summit. He will conclude his longest foreign trip since returning to the White House in South Korea, where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.