U.S. President Donald Trump is meeting Monday with Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, marking his first visit to the country since she took office last week.
Takaichi is welcoming President Trump for talks in Tokyo, just seven days after becoming the nation’s first female prime minister. During his flight to Japan, Trump told reporters he planned to highlight the great friendship between the United States and Japan.
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Takaichi is widely viewed as a protégé of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who maintained a warm rapport with Trump during his time in office. Abe and Trump often bonded over their shared love of golf — a tradition Takaichi may seek to continue as she builds her own relationship with the U.S. president.
Japan is just one of several countries President Trump is visiting as part of his first Asia trip of his second term, as he seeks trade deals and investments for U.S. factories and other projects countries committed to in return for the easing of U.S. tariffs. Japan's government has floated the idea of buying a fleet of Ford F-150 pickup trucks.
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Ahead of their meeting, Takaichi spoke by phone with President Trump while he was mid-flight. She praised him for brokering the recent ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
"I thought (Trump) is a very cheerful and fun person,” Takaichi said, according to The Associated Press. “He well recognizes me and said he remembers me as a politician whom (former) Prime Minister Abe really cared about. And I told the president that I extremely look forward to welcoming him in Tokyo.”
