The leader pledges to oppose China’s “attack” and announces a compromise on the steel deal made by Nippon Steel.
Japanese Prime Minister Isba and President Donald Trump spoke warmly at the first meeting. Tokyo avoided tariffs in which Trump slapped other allies.
Boiling praise for each other at the White House, the two leaders on Friday pledge to oppose China’s “attack” and find solutions to blocked deals for troubled US steel I said that.
But Trump pressed Isba to cut his trade deficit with the US to zero, warning that if Tokyo doesn’t do so, he could face tariffs on exports.
A fair “geek” and model warship fan, Isba is under pressure to replicate the close relationship between the former prime minister and his fellow golfer Abe.
Both leaders claimed they struck a relationship of trust during the second visit by foreign leaders in Trump’s new term.
“I was very excited to see such celebrities in person on television,” Isba told a joint press conference.
“On TV, he has a scary, very strong personality. But when I met him, he was actually very sincere and very strong.”
When they exchanged photos, Trump praised the 68-year-old Japanese prime minister as “good looking.” This is usually one of the greatest admirations of former reality TV stars.
And when the US President laughed and said, “That’s a very good answer,” Isba said he couldn’t answer a “theoretical question” about whether he would retaliate against US tariffs.
Meanwhile, Trump said that Japanese steel will make a big investment in US steel but will not take over the troubled company as previously negotiated.
“They’ll be looking at investing rather than buying,” Trump said. His predecessor, Joe Biden, had blocked the deal.
And two leaders doubled the US connection decades ago in security and trade despite fears that Trump could turn on Tokyo like other US allies. I’ve done it.
Trump said he agreed to fight “China’s economic invasion,” and in a joint statement they denounced Beijing for “provocative activities” in the contested South China Sea.
They also said that Trump, who met his leader, UN Kim Jong, wanted to have “related” with Pyongyang, but they also sought a denuclearized North Korea.
Behind Trump’s statement of support was Japan’s promise to invest $1 trillion in the United States and to encourage Japan to purchase US defense equipment.
Isba said his country is the largest investor in the United States and will step up its spending.
Isba, a gentle-speaking cigarette smoker, rushed to Washington, hoping to blunt the edges of Trump’s “America First” policy.
Under Abe, Japan was protected from some of Trump’s more punishing tendencies, including a sudden trade war and pressure to increase financial contributions to American soldiers.
A few days after Trump’s first election victory, Abe rushed to bring him a gold-plated golf club. Trump also held Abe’s widow Akie for dinner at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida this December.
So far, the US president has slapped tariffs in China and ordered them before a month’s suspension in Mexico and Canada.
He also pledged tariffs in the European Union and said he would announce unspecified “mutual tariffs” next week on Friday.
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