Trump will meet Japan’s new prime minister and address US troops in next stop on Asia trip
TOKYO AP President Donald Trump began one of his busiest days of his Asia trip on Tuesday by meeting with the new Japanese prime minister with plans to later speak to U S troops aboard an aircraft carrier and mingle with business leaders Although Trump is visiting one of America s the bulk steadfast allies in Asia there s no shortage of uncertainty while he s there Sanae Takaichi who became the country s first female prime minister only days ago must solidify her relationship with Trump while defending her country s economic interests Trump is trying to nail down billion in Japanese capital as part of a pact deal that would reduce U S tariffs As Trump and Takaichi met on Tuesday they shook hands and he paid her a compliment That s a very strong handshake Takaichi is primed for a charm offensive including a prospective purchase of Ford F- trucks Reporters arriving for the event were hustled past a gold-hued Ford F- as well as what appeared to be white American-made Toyota vehicles parked outside Trump has often complained that Japan doesn t buy American vehicles which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets Although Trump has focused his foreign plan toward Asia around tariffs and commerce he s also speaking aboard the USS George Washington which is docked at an American naval base near Tokyo Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday when he met with the emperor in a ceremonial visit He was previously in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia where he participated in the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations The gathering was an opportunity for Trump to celebrate an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia which skirmished along their disputed frontier earlier this year Trump had pressured them to stop fighting by threatening to withhold agreement agreements There were also signs that tensions between the U S and China were cooling ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping which is expected to take place in South Korea later this week Top negotiators from each country mentioned a agreement deal was coming together which could prevent a potentially damaging confrontation between the world s two largest economies Details were scarce and it was unclear how much any agreement would resolve long-standing issues or if it would return the relationship to the status quo before newest confrontations China has restructured the export of rare earth elements that are critical for high-tech manufacturing and Trump responded by threatening tariffs that even he admits would be unsustainable Trump is scheduled to leave Wednesday for South Korea which is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit Megerian disclosed from Seoul Source
