Japan's New PM Aims to Benefit from Shinzo Abe's Connection in Important Negotiations with Trump.
Japan's newly elected prime minister, Takaichi, is preparing to face her primary foreign policy examination as she engages with former US President Trump for high-stakes negotiations in Tokyo.
The focus of their summit is expected to center on trade and security matters, signaling a key juncture for Tokyo's relationship with its powerful ally.
A Notable Premiership and Global Debut
The new PM, who just became Japan's first female leader after securing the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, had her global debut at the recent ASEAN meeting.
However, her forthcoming meeting with the former president is considered the real test that will establish the direction for future two-way cooperation.
Managing Domestic and International Challenges
Takaichi deals with a potentially shaky government landscape, having formed a coalition that leaves her two seats short of a majority in the influential lower house of the Diet.
This means, her administration will depend on other MPs to pass legislation, introducing a element of complexity to her governance.
Shared Views and Differing Interests
She holds Trump's wariness of China's military presence in the region, yet each nations have experienced challenges from Trump's "America-first" trade approach.
Lately, the former president oversaw a truce deal between Thai and Cambodian forces on the first stage of his Asian tour.
Defense Expansion and Spending Commitments
The leader has stated her determination to accelerate Japan's military expansion, planning to raise military spending to 2% of GDP by the close of the fiscal year.
This step matches a longstanding demand from Trump and represents the largest military expansion for the nation since the Second World War.
Defense Partnership and Tensions
The country has also taken steps to obtain "counterstrike" abilities, including Tomahawk weapons from the US, and intends to use domestically developed longer-range missiles.
But, the bilateral defense treaty is still a point of tension, with the former president earlier suggesting that the nation should pay more for hosting US forces on its soil.
Economic Expectations and Negotiations
Few expect major agreements on trade issues during the visit, particularly after latest duty adjustments provided a degree of ease to the country's export sector.
The PM is likely to seek additional relief by promising greater purchases of US goods, including pickup trucks, agricultural produce, and gas.
Individual Chemistry and the Abe Link
The importance Trump places on individual chemistry could benefit the PM's advantage, given her close relationship with assassinated ex-leader Shinzo Abe, who was among his favorite world leaders.
He was the initial foreign leader to meet Trump after his election, and the two developed a strong relationship over shared interests such as golf.
Upcoming Agenda and Regional Implications
The former president's trip to Japan will start with a meeting with the Emperor at the royal residence in Tokyo.
It will be followed by discussions with Takaichi at the official residence, the very location where he held talks with Abe in previous years.
Afterward, the former president will travel to South Korea for the APEC summit, where he is set to meet China's president Xi Jinping.
