TOKYO/KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — United States (US) President Donald Trump departed for Tokyo today, where he is scheduled to meet Japan's Emperor Naruhito and newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as part of an Asia trip aimed at securing trade deals, investment, and increased defence spending.
Trump, on his longest journey abroad since taking office in January, announced a slew of deals with Southeast Asian countries and oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during his first stop in Malaysia.
His trip is expected to conclude with a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday (October 30), as negotiators for the world's top two economies seek to avert a rekindling of a devastating trade war.
While Trump has already landed a US$550 billion (RM2.31 trillion) investment pledge from Japan in exchange for respite on punishing import tariffs, Takaichi is hoping to further impress Trump with promises to purchase US pickup trucks, soybeans and gas.
"Just leaving Malaysia, a great and very vibrant Country. Signed major Trade and Rare Earth Deals, and yesterday, most importantly, signed the Peace Treaty between Thailand and Cambodia. NO WAR! Millions of lives saved.
"Such an honour to have gotten this done. Now, off to Japan!!!" he said in a post on Truth Social shortly before his departure.
Takaichi, who became Japan's first female Prime Minister last week, told Trump that strengthening their countries' alliance was her "top priority" in their first phone call on Saturday.
Thousands of police have been deployed across the Japanese capital for Trump's arrival, with the arrest of a knife-wielding man outside the US Embassy on Friday and an anti-Trump protest planned in downtown Shinjuku adding to the tension.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his Japanese counterpart Ryosei Akazawa, architects of the tariff deal agreed in July, are set to hold a working lunch today. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, travelling with Trump alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is also expected to meet with his new counterpart Satsuki Katayama for the first time.
Imperial welcome for return of Trump
Trump's first engagement in Japan will be to meet His Majesty at the Imperial Palace in the heart of Tokyo.
He was the first foreign leader to meet Naruhito after he came to the throne in 2019, continuing an imperial line that some claim is the world's oldest hereditary monarchy. However, Naruhito's role is purely symbolic, and it will be with Takaichi tomorrow that the meaty diplomacy will take place.
Takaichi was a close ally of assassinated Japanese premier Shinzo Abe, who formed a bond with Trump over hours spent on the golf course during his first term, and appears to have already impressed the US President.
"She is great... we are going to be seeing her very soon. She is very friendly.
"She was a very, very close ally and friend of Prime Minister Abe, and you know he was one of my favourites," Trump told the press on Saturday (October 25) after their call.
The two are due to meet at the nearby Akasaka Palace, the same venue that Trump met Abe six years ago, where a military honour guard will welcome Trump.
As well as investment pledges, Takaichi is expected to reassure Trump that Tokyo is willing to do more on security after telling lawmakers on Friday that she will accelerate Japan's biggest defence build-up since World War II.
Japan hosts the largest concentration of US forces abroad, and Trump has previously complained that Tokyo is not spending enough to defend its islands against an increasingly assertive China.
"Some kind of statement on standing shoulder-to-shoulder together to deter and respond to attempts to change the status quo in the region by force or coercion would be useful," said Washington-based NMV Consulting Japan expert and former US diplomat Kevin Maher.
While Takaichi has said she will accelerate a plan to raise defence spending to two per cent of gross domestic product, she will struggle to commit Japan to any further increases that Trump requests due to her weak political standing, sources told Reuters earlier.
To do that, Takaichi would need to secure Parliamentary approval. Her coalition government is two seats short of a majority in the lower house, the body that decides.
