Trump Praises Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

U.S. President Expresses Confidence in Taikachi’s Potential.

During a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed strong admiration for Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first woman to hold the position of prime minister.

Trump stated his belief that Takaichi would become one of Japan’s “greatest” leaders.

The American president welcomed Takaichi’s commitment to expedite military expansion while the two nations also finalized agreements concerning trade and rare earth minerals.

Takaichi, who assumed office one week prior, was a protégé of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022 and maintained a close friendship with Trump.

The new prime minister frequently referenced this connection through her choice of gifts and mentions of the strong relationship between the two men, and expressed support for Trump’s efforts to resolve international disputes.

According to Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, the Japanese leader also committed to putting Trump’s name forward for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Substantial Investment Commitments

Both nations issued a list of initiatives in sectors including energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals, with Japanese corporations considering investments reaching $400 billion in the United States.

Earlier in the year, Tokyo committed to providing $550 billion in strategic U.S. investments, loans, and guarantees as part of an arrangement to secure exemption from Trump’s severe import tariffs.

These commitments could moderate potential demands from Trump for Tokyo to contribute more financially toward its security amid China’s growing assertiveness.

Takaichi attempted to preempt such requests by pledging to expedite plans to raise defense spending to 2% of GDP.

“Everything I know from Shinzo and others, you will be one of the great prime ministers,” Trump told Takaichi during their meeting at Tokyo’s Akasaka Palace, with staff members present.

Trump noted that becoming Japan’s first female prime minister was “a big deal.”

Takaichi made numerous references to Abe’s fondness for Trump and presented him with several gifts: the former prime minister’s putter in a glass case, a golf bag bearing the signature of Japanese major champion Hideki Matsuyama, and a golf ball decorated with gold leaf.

Trump also had a meeting with Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, who gave him an artwork featuring the word PEACE in prominent gold letters.

Abe was the initial foreign leader to meet with Trump following his 2016 electoral victory, and the pair developed a strong friendship through multiple golf outings in both the United States and Japan.

During a lunch featuring U.S. rice and beef along with vegetables from Takaichi’s home region of Nara, she showed Trump a map illustrating significant investments Japanese companies have made in the United States since his previous visit in 2019.

The roster of potential future Japanese investors included companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, SoftBank, Hitachi, Murata Manufacturing, and Panasonic, among others.

Trump announced that Japanese automaker Toyota would establish automotive manufacturing facilities in the United States with an investment of $10 billion.

Toyota did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment.

Trump mentioned that Japan also intends to buy Ford’s large F-150 pickup truck, which is seldom seen on the nation’s narrow streets, representing Tokyo’s willingness to make concessions to gain his approval.

Trump commended Japan’s initiatives to increase purchases of U.S. defense equipment, while Takaichi described his involvement in negotiating ceasefires between Cambodia and Thailand, as well as Israel and Palestinian militants, as an “unprecedented” accomplishment.

The two leaders signed an agreement to strengthen supplies of critical minerals and rare earths, as both countries aim to decrease China’s control over certain sectors of essential electronic components.

Following lunch, Trump met with family members of individuals kidnapped by North Korea during the 1960s and 1970s.

Although some victims were subsequently returned, Japan continues to urge Pyongyang for complete information about all abductees and the repatriation of any survivors, a mission that Abe championed.

Trump, who has stated multiple times that he is willing to meet with North Korea’s isolated leader Kim Jong Un during his five-day Asian tour, assured the families that the U.S. stood with them “all the way.”

The U.S. leader initiated his journey in Malaysia on Sunday before arriving in Japan late Monday, where he received a ceremonial welcome at the Imperial Palace.

He aims to conclude his trip—his most extended international travel since returning to office in January—by reaching a trade war resolution with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday.

Analysts suggest that Takaichi’s strategy of invoking Abe’s legacy to establish rapport with Trump could strengthen her fragile political standing domestically and assist her in managing Trump’s occasionally unpredictable decision-making.

Despite experiencing increased public approval since assuming the role of prime minister, her coalition government falls two votes short of a majority in the lower house of parliament.

Trump and Takaichi subsequently traveled via his presidential helicopter to the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington, stationed at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo.

At that location, Trump gave an hour-long address covering various subjects ranging from the U.S. southern border to American football.

Standing between two fighter jets, Trump invited Takaichi onto the stage before 6,000 U.S. sailors.

“This woman is a winner,” he said, after which Takaichi expressed gratitude to the forces for their role in defending the region. Japan houses the largest concentration of U.S. military presence overseas.

Trump added that delivery would commence this week on Japan’s long-awaited order of U.S. missiles for F-35 fighter jets.

Trump concluded with another wide-ranging address to business leaders in Tokyo, which featured an exchange with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son regarding a golf match.

Trump proceeds on Wednesday to South Korea to meet with President Lee Jae Myung before his scheduled Thursday summit with Xi.