Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso Visits Donald Trump in New York
Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso visited Donald Trump at his office in New York on April 23rd, 2023. This meeting was seen as an attempt to rebuild ties between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the former U.S. president.
Aso is among a group of foreign leaders who have met with Trump, who is considering a possible return to the White House in 2024 if he defeats President Joe Biden.
Trump welcomed Aso at Trump Tower, stating that he is "a highly respected man in Japan and beyond." They discussed Japan, the United States, and other topics during their hour-long meeting.
This meeting took place after Trump attended a session of his ongoing hush-money trial in New York regarding the 2016 presidential election campaign.
Aso had previously 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, who 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 and is seen as a way to boost his profile for the upcoming election. The former president has recently met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Polish President Andrzej Duda.