TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump It will arrive in Japan on Monday. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi I look forward to building friendly personal relationships with U.S. leaders. ease trade tensions.
One key to this strategy may lie in the Japanese government’s initiative to purchase a fleet of Ford F-150 trucks, a meaningful initiative that may also be impractical given the narrow roads in Tokyo and other Japanese cities.
This will be an early diplomatic test for Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader. She only took office last week, but her coalition support is tenuous.
President Trump immediately embraced the Ford truck idea when he flew to Asia on Air Force One.
“She has good taste,” President Trump told reporters. “That’s a hot truck.”
The two spoke by phone on Saturday while Trump was on a flight. Takaichi emphasizes his position as a disciple of the late prime minister Shinzo Abesaid he was a favorite of Trump’s during his first term and praised him for brokering a ceasefire in Gaza that led to the return of hostages held by Hamas.
“I thought[Trump]was a very cheerful and fun person,” she said. “He recognized me well and told me he remembered me as a politician that (former) Prime Minister really cared about,” she said. “And I told the president that I very much look forward to welcoming him to Tokyo.”
Resetting trade relations
At the heart of hospitality is the search for strategies to navigate increasingly complex trade relationships. Trump was rocked earlier this year. Includes customs duty.
President Trump wants allies to buy more American products and commit to funding to build factories and energy infrastructure in the United States.
The meeting in Japan will take place before President Trump. Meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday.
Both countries have sought to limit China’s manufacturing ambitions because the emergence of China’s electric cars, artificial intelligence and advanced computer chips could weaken their economies.
“Given the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Xi Jinping that is scheduled to take place soon, President Trump may also be considering ways to strengthen his hand by demonstrating the solidity of the Japan-U.S. relationship,” said Christy Gobela, chair of the Japan Committee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington.
previous Japanese government Agreed in September President Trump decided to invest $550 billion in the United States. Lower the threatened 25% tariff 15% for Japanese products. But Japan wants the investment to favor Japanese vendors and contractors.
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Ryoo AkazawaThe ministry said it is compiling a list of projects in the computer chip and energy sectors to meet investment targets.
“As far as I know, I’ve heard that many Japanese companies are interested,” he told reporters on Friday, without providing further details.
Ford truck in Tokyo will be a powerful symbol
Japanese officials are considering the possibility of additional purchases American soybeansliquefied natural gas, automobiles.
For Mr. Trump, the prospect of Ford trucks lining Tokyo’s skyscraper district would be a victory. The administration has long complained that American cars are being squeezed out of a market that is home to Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Subaru. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a September interview with CNBC that Japan would not buy American-branded cars because “Chevrolet” is popular with Japanese gangsters.
Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported that Takaichi may arrange to display a Ford F-150 truck in a location where President Trump can see it. The government is considering importing trucks for the Ministry of Transport to use to inspect roads and infrastructure, but there are concerns that the F-150s could cause congestion on Japan’s narrow roads. A Ford spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Japanese media reported that Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyoda may announce plans to import his company’s American cars to Japan at a dinner with Trump and other business leaders on Wednesday.
This gesture, coupled with Takaichi’s ties to Prime Minister Abe, should help deal with Trump, who appears to be inclined to favor her.
“I think she’s going to be a great person,” Trump said on Air Force One. “She is a friend of Mr. Abe, who was a great person.”
In 2016, Prime Minister Abe presented Trump with a luxury golf club to celebrate his first election, and the leaders bonded over their love of golf. President Trump has often expressed sadness over the assassination of Prime Minister Abe in 2022.
However, Rintaro Nishimura, a Japan expert at advisory firm Asia Group, points out that there are risks in Takaichi’s emphasis on his relationship with Prime Minister Abe.
Nishimura said, “This is Mr. Takaichi’s first diplomatic act, so I think he wants to get off to a spectacular start.” “Continuing Abe’s rhetoric will undoubtedly be part of this engagement, but some believe that leaning too heavily on Abe’s lines may not necessarily be good for her own portfolio, and for her position as Japan’s leader.”
President Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday and met for the first time with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito. After the meeting on Tuesday, Takaichi is scheduled to give a speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, docked in Japan, followed by a dinner with business leaders. President Trump is scheduled to depart for South Korea on Wednesday.
