In Tokyo on January 30, Shigeru Ishiba was seen entering the prime minister’s office as he prepares for a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled for February 7 in Washington. Leading up to the summit, both the Japanese and American governments have been working together to finalize the details of the meeting agenda.
Officials report that the discussions will cover a range of pressing topics, including national security and economic cooperation. Ishiba is expected to highlight Japan’s commitment to sharing its responsibilities as a key U.S. ally and to playing an active role in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region—a point of increasing relevance given the provocative activities seen in the South and East China Seas.
Efforts to build a personal rapport between Ishiba and President Trump feature prominently in the planning. Establishing trust is seen as critical for deepening the bilateral relationship, with Ishiba prepared to outline measures such as boosting Japan’s defense spending to 2 percent of its GDP and creating more American jobs through Japanese company investments.
Economic issues will also be on the table. With President Trump’s “America First” policy in mind, there is an expectation that he may seek higher tariffs on Japanese imports and call for further increases in U.S. defense expenditure. Additionally, discussions might explore the possibility of expanding Japan’s LNG imports from the United States, aligning with Trump’s push to increase domestic fossil fuel production.
A further critical agenda item is the status of U.S. security commitments, particularly whether Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty—which obligates the U.S. to defend Japan—applies to the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa. Ishiba’s intention to reach a mutual understanding on both security and economic issues underscores his broader goal of elevating the Japan-U.S. alliance to new levels, especially as both nations navigate a complex regional landscape.
Ishiba has long sought a meeting with Trump, with attempts commencing even before the president’s official inauguration. Despite earlier postponements due to scheduling challenges on both sides, efforts continue to secure a mutually convenient time for the leaders to meet and solidify their strategic partnership.