2025.10.2723:57:58UTC+00Trump to Discuss Trade, Security with Japan’s New PM Takaichi

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet Japan's newly appointed Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo this Tuesday. As reported by Reuters, this meeting will focus on trade and security discussions following Takaichi's recent election as Japan’s first female leader. Known for her hardline conservative stance, Takaichi has promised to expedite Japan's military enhancements. During the meeting, Takaichi plans to present a package of U.S. investments as part of a $550 billion agreement from earlier this year, which includes joint efforts in shipbuilding, according to sources acquainted with the preparations. She aims to strengthen Japan's pivotal trade and security partnership with the U.S. by increasing imports of pickup trucks, soybeans, and natural gas, these same sources indicate. Despite past remarks from Trump criticizing Tokyo for inadequate defense spending against an increasingly assertive China, Takaichi is not anticipated to announce new defense expenditure targets beyond the 2% of GDP commitment made by her predecessors.