U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is open to meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in mid-January, ahead of his return to the White House, according to a Japanese government source. Japan is currently assessing the feasibility of such a meeting after receiving the message from the Trump team.
If the meeting takes place, it would mark the first in-person talks between Trump and Ishiba since Trump secured a second, nonconsecutive term in November. Ishiba had previously attempted to arrange a meeting with Trump in November on his return from South America, but it was postponed due to legal restrictions preventing Trump from meeting foreign leaders before his inauguration.
For Japanese leaders, establishing strong ties with the U.S. president is crucial. Both nations are working to enhance their security alliance in response to threats from China, North Korea, and Russia, making cooperation between the two countries even more important.
Trump recently expressed his willingness to meet with Ishiba, saying at a press conference, “If they’d like to do that, I would do that.” His openness to such talks has raised hopes in Japan for strengthening bilateral relations.
Following Trump’s comments, Japan’s top government spokesman, Yoshimasa Hayashi, assured that Tokyo would continue to communicate with the Trump administration to arrange a meeting at a mutually convenient time for the two leaders. Trump’s invitation came after his meeting with the widow of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had built a personal relationship with Trump during his first term.
