(Update) Takaichi Calls for Japan-U.S. Alliance’s “New Golden Age”

(A typo in the fourth paragraph has been corrected.) (Update) Takaichi Calls for Japan-U.S. Alliance’s “New Golden Age” Tokyo, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, called for creating a “new golden age” of the Japan-U.S. alliance together. Trump, on his first visit to Japan in six years, responded that Japan is one of his country’s most important allies. The two leaders also confirmed economic cooperation between their countries. Following the meeting, Takaichi and Trump signed documents on ensuring supply chains of critical minerals, including rare earths, and on steadily implementing the bilateral tariff agreement. During the summit at the State Guest House in the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Takaichi, who took office last week, worked to establish a personal relationship of trust with Trump. In light of cooperation between China, Russia and North Korea, she also sought to highlight the strength of the Japan-U.S. alliance. In her opening remarks, Takaichi stressed that Japan and the United States have the “greatest alliance in the world.” “I highly value your unwavering commitment to world peace and stability,” the prime minister told Trump, seeking to further promote cooperation with the United States for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Trump expressed gratitude for Japan’s increased defense spending and purchase of U.S. military equipment. The president described the tariff agreement as a “very fair deal” and said he expects Japan-U.S. trade to expand further. Takaichi is believed to have told Trump that Japan will raise its defense spending to 2 pct of its gross domestic product by the end of fiscal 2025, two years earlier than initially planned. She is also believed to have explained a plan to move up the planned revision of the country’s three key national security documents. The two leaders are also believed to have discussed the details of Japan’s 550-billion-dollar investment and loan offer to the United States, which is included in the tariff agreement. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]