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United States President Donald Trump said Tuesday that relations between Washington and Tokyo will reach “unprecedented strength” as he met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo.
“I have always had a great love and great respect for Japan,” Trump said. “This will be a relationship that will be stronger than ever before.”
Trump pledged unwavering support to Tokyo, telling Takaichi the United States would assist with “any question, any doubt, anything you want, any favors you need,” describing the two nations as allies “at the strongest level.”
He also acknowledged Japan’s plans to expand its military capacity “very substantially,” saying Washington has received “orders for a very large amount of new military equipment.”
Trump added that bilateral trade had reached historic levels and that both sides are preparing to sign a “very fair” new deal.
“I’d also like to congratulate you on being the first woman prime minister. That’s a big deal,” he told Takaichi.
Takaichi said Japan aims to “realize a new golden age of the Japan-U.S. alliance, where both Japan and the United States will become stronger and also more prosperous.”
She thanked Trump for his “unwavering commitment to peace and stability,” saying the world “has already started to enjoy more peace on the ground.”
“The two countries have developed the greatest alliance in the world,” she said, adding that Japan is ready to work toward “a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Takaichi also outlined plans to strengthen Japan’s “national power—diplomacy, defense capabilities, economic power, technology, intelligence and human resources.”
She announced she would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, NBC News reported. Trump has previously been nominated by several countries, including Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Cambodia.
Following the meeting, the two countries signed two agreements covering alliance strengthening and critical minerals security.
According to a White House statement, the first agreement aims to “strengthen economic security, promote growth, and continuously lead to global prosperity.” The leaders instructed relevant ministers to take further steps “for a new golden age of the ever-growing U.S.–Japan alliance.”
The second agreement establishes a framework for securing critical minerals and rare earth supplies through joint mining and processing projects.
Both sides will use government and private sector support—including grants, guarantees, loans, and equity—to fund projects that produce materials for the U.S., Japan and “like-minded countries.” A ministerial meeting on mining and metals investment will convene within 180 days.
The U.S. and Japan are also forming a “Critical Minerals Supply Security Rapid Response Group” to identify key resources and coordinate responses to supply chain disruptions.
Following the bilateral meeting, Trump and the U.S. delegation met with families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea. The State Department said Washington reaffirmed its support for Japan’s efforts to resolve the issue “immediately.”
Later Tuesday, Trump will visit the U.S. naval base near Tokyo and tour the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington before attending a dinner with Japanese business leaders.
After Japan, Trump will travel to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday after a stop in Malaysia, marking the first leg of an Asia tour expected to focus on regional trade and security. Negotiators from Beijing and Washington have reportedly reached a “framework agreement” to ease the long-standing trade dispute.
Japan, long known for its pacifist constitution, is taking a more assertive military stance amid worsening relations with China.
Takaichi, a known China hawk and Japan’s first female prime minister, said her government will achieve its goal of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense this year, two years ahead of schedule.
The United States, which stations about 60,000 military personnel in Japan, has called for Tokyo to increase spending further, potentially matching the 5% of GDP target pledged by NATO members in June.
Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, told AFP that Takaichi’s move to accelerate the target was a “preemptive measure” to deflect U.S. pressure.
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On trade, most Japanese imports to the United States face tariffs of around 15%, less severe than the 25% rate initially threatened, but enough to contribute to a 24% drop in car exports to the U.S. in September. The auto industry accounts for roughly 8% of Japan’s jobs.
Under a trade deal shared by the White House in July, Japan is expected to invest $550 billion in the U.S.
Takaichi has sought to maintain a close relationship with Trump, who had a personal friendship with the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Abe’s alleged killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, is set to go on trial in Nara—Takaichi’s hometown—more than three years after the assassination.
Trump is expected to deliver a speech aboard the USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base before departing for Seoul.
“The U.S.–Japan relationship is phenomenal,” Trump told reporters earlier Tuesday. “It’s going to get even better.”
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