Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso Visits Donald Trump in New York
Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso met with Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York on April 23rd. The meeting was seen as an attempt to rebuild ties between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the former U.S. president.
Aso is one of several foreign leaders who have met with Trump since he left office. Trump is considering a possible return to the White House in 2024, and these meetings are seen as a way to boost his profile for the upcoming election.
Trump welcomed Aso at Trump Tower, saying, "He is a highly respected man in Japan and beyond. We got to know each other, and we'll be talking about Japan and the United States right now and lots of other things also."
The meeting took place after Trump attended a session of his ongoing hush-money trial in New York. The trial is related to the 2016 presidential election campaign.
Aso visited the United States in January and met with U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, who served as U.S. ambassador to Japan under the Trump administration. He also attempted to set up a meeting with Trump at that time, but was unsuccessful.
Aso served as deputy prime minister and finance minister in the government of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was known for his close ties with Trump. Aso accompanied Abe on his summit meetings as well as golf outings with Trump during his presidency.
Trump's meeting with Aso is his latest with global political figures. He has also met recently with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Polish President Andrzej Duda.