The Japan Times - Takaichi, Trump swap praise for 'new golden age' of ties

Takaichi, Japan's first woman prime minister, lauded Trump's involvement in mediating conflicts and will nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, the White House said.

Trump, on an Asia tour that aims for a trade deal with China, reciprocated with warmth for the key partner in business and defence by saying Washington is an ally of the "strongest level".

Takaichi greeted Trump at her prime minister's residence in Tokyo, her first face-to-face meeting with the US leader just days after she took office.

"We are an ally at the strongest level, and it's a great honour to be with you, especially so early in what will be, I think, one of the greatest prime ministers," Trump told Takaichi.

She praised Trump's efforts towards a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia and his "unprecedented historic achievement" of the Gaza deal.

"I would like to realise a new golden age of the Japan-US Alliance, where both Japan and the United States will become stronger and also more prosperous," she said.

The two sides also signed an agreement aimed at "achieving resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earths supply chains," a statement said.

Beijing this month announced sweeping restrictions on the rare earths industry, prompting Trump to threaten 100 percent tariffs on imports from China in retaliation.

Trump also apologised for being late, saying he was watching World Series baseball -- a game featuring Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

- Trade talks -

Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday for a visit sandwiched between a trip to Malaysia and a meeting in South Korea with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that could ease the bruising trade war.

Negotiators from Beijing and Washington have both confirmed a "framework" has been agreed between the world's two biggest economies.

In Tokyo, Trump and Takaichi were expected to focus on security and trade between their allied countries.

Takashi Ito, a 58-year-old Tokyo resident, said that "what's important is finding some kind of middle ground" on trade.

"Simply pushing to raise tariffs has already created various issues."

On security, long-pacifist Japan is adopting a more muscular military stance as relations with China worsen.

Takaichi, a China hawk who last week became the first woman to serve as Japan's prime minister, said her government would achieve its target of spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence this year -- two years ahead of schedule.

The United States, which has around 60,000 military personnel in Japan, wants Tokyo to spend even more, potentially matching the five percent of GDP pledged by NATO members in June.

Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Public Policy, told AFP that in a bid to "deflect US pressure" on Japan to boost defence spending, Takaichi has "preemptively" brought forward the target.

Apart from his meeting with Takaichi, Trump is due to deliver a speech on Tuesday on the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, docked at the US naval base Yokosuka.

He will also have dinner with business leaders, likely including the chairman of carmaker Toyota.

- 'Phenomenal' -

Most Japanese imports into the United States are subject to tariffs of 15 percent, less painful than the 25 percent first threatened.

But the levies still contributed to a 24-percent slump in US-bound car exports in September in value terms year-on-year.

The car industry accounts for around eight percent of jobs in Japan.

Under the terms of a July trade deal shared by the White House, Japan is also expected to invest $550 billion in the United States.

Trump said before arriving that he had heard "phenomenal things" about Takaichi, "a great ally and friend of Shinzo Abe, who was my friend".

Abe's alleged killer Tetsuya Yamagami was due to go on trial in the western city of Nara -- also Takaichi's hometown -- more than three years after the fatal shooting.

The greatest prize for Trump -- and for global markets -- remains a China trade deal.

Trump is due to meet Xi on Thursday in South Korea for their first face-to-face talks since the 79-year-old Republican's return to office in January.

"I have a lot of respect for President Xi and we are going to, I think... come away with a deal," Trump told reporters en route from Malaysia, where comments from US and Chinese negotiators raised hopes of an accord.

Trump also indicated he was willing to extend his trip in order to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though no such meeting has been announced.

K.Tanaka--JT