Japan PM Ishiba’s Donald Trump study sessions pay off at talks

It received that and some other assurances if Japan needed to be assured that the US was still its principal ally and friend in the increasingly unpredictable Asia-Pacific.

What was striking about the Trump-Ishiba gathering at the White House was the absence of any surprises.

This was neither provocative nor aggressive, as opposed to the majority of the domestic and global dynamics currently affecting Trump.

” On broadcast, he is quite frightening”, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters after Friday’s meeting.

” But when I met him, he was very earnest, quite powerful and strong bequeathed”, he added.

There’s a ton that ties Washington and Tokyo. Japan has been the major foreign investment in the US for five straight years, generating thousands of jobs. And there are 54, 000 US military officers stationed in Japan.

But President Donald Trump has given his friends and foes a lot to worry about: from tariff wars against China, Canada and Mexico to his US “ownership” of Gaza proposal and his sanctions against the International Criminal Court.

” Trump has made some chaotic decisions towards countries that believed themselves to be America’s buddies”, said Jeffrey Hall, professor at Japan’s Kanda University of International Studies.

There was a concern in Tokyo that the same situation might occur: that Trump may impose massive levies on Japan or scuttle a trade dispute. But that didn’t happen”, he added.

While Trump didn’t rule out levies against Tokyo, it wasn’t the main function of this meeting.

Ishiba went to Washington prepared. He’d studied. Absolutely. he held” research lessons” with staff and sought counsel from his father, Fumio Kishida.

On the golf course, he also had some assistance from the wife of the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who had a close relation with Trump during his first administration.

Ishiba’s coursework paid out.

There weren’t many eye-raising moments like the numerous other US president’s presentations, aside from the one where Trump incorrectly called Nippon Steel” Nissan.”

In reality- as far as Japan is concerned- this conference was reassuring.

Both officials seemed to have met eye-to-eye on their locations ‘ strategies to increase business and military ushering in a “golden-era” of Japan-US relationships.

Ishiba announced his country’s plans to increase investment in the US to$ 1tn ( £806bn ), as the two economic powers rebalance trade relations.

Ishiba predicted that Japanese automakers would increase investment while Tokyo would increase imports of US-licensed liquefied natural gas ( LNG ).

This would have been tunes to Trump’s ear and a boost to his “drill, child, drilling” news from his opening statement.

In addition, the two men were able to agree on a contentious Nippon Steel matter.

Trump said Nippon would “invest heavily” in the Pennsylvania-based US Steel without taking a majority stake.

President Joe Biden had earlier rebuffed the Asian company’s attempt on national security grounds.

Japan could breathe easy knowing that there were enough boxes checked, but Ishiba’s primary goal was to meet with him for a specific reason.

The Japanese PM has been in a fraught political position at home – with his minority government keeping a weak grip on power after it was humiliated in October’s general elections when they lost their ruling majority.

Ishiba longed for victory.

The guy hasn’t really gained much confidence in his ability to perform well in front of a famous Trump.

According to Mr. Hall, “local media for weeks pumped up the notion that Trump would never achieve politely, that he was awkward, unlikable, and that he would take his lunchtime if he made it to Washington.”

However, Ishiba is leaving with what appears to be a lot of victory.

The former Chinese defense secretary is a seasoned politician known for lengthy speeches in parliament. Some Spectators claim that his statements confound some of his rivals and bore others.

But in a” Trump plan meeting” with his team, the biggest piece of advice he apparently got was:” Conclusion second. Keep it simple”.

Instead of confronting him,” Ishiba followed a playbook to impress Trump personally and provide him financial assets in the US,” said Mr. Hall.

There are several issues that Japan and the US could disagree on. Not least Trump’s proposal of a US takeover of the Gaza Strip, which sparked fierce criticism around the world.

Japan reiterated its long-standing position of supporting a two-state answer.

” We didn’t alter our stance”, said Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya last year.

Tokyo is also watching Trump’s trade war with China nervously.

However, Hall claimed that if Japan had help in the US-China trade war, it would not be drawn into it.

When it comes to China, Japan needs to hit a good compromise.

Beijing is Tokyo’s largest buying lover. One of the biggest expense destinations for Chinese companies is China.

Both the US and Japan are at odds with China’s growing control and confidence both domestically and internationally.

Not least with Chinese military’s now frequent and provocative moves in waters near Taiwan which Beijing sees as a renegade province.

In 2022, Japan, a pragmatist state, announced it would increase its military saving by 2027, citing challenges posed by China and North Korea, and saying it would acquire the ability to reach army bases.

The modifications made the most significant change to Japan’s protection method since it instituted a pragmatist law after World War Two.

With North Korea continuing its nuclear programme, South Korea in social collapse, and the continuous US-China conflict, Japan has yet again presented itself as America’s least challenging and even unobjectionable friend in the region.

Japan did prevent resembling Trump as much as possible. It will most likely be a’ yes’ friend”, said Hall.