Ishiba Gets Trump's Support on Key Issues, Must Push Forward

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The just concluded Japan-US summit meeting was a success. During his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held his first face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump. He was only the second foreign leader, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to meet Trump since he took office on January 20.

Their meeting and joint press conference were held amidst a friendly atmosphere. Concerning bilateral defense cooperation, Trump made the following statement. "The United States is totally committed to the security of Japan. We will extend the full strength of American deterrence capabilities and defense of our friend and ally, one hundred percent. In the years to come, the Prime Minister and I will be working closely together to maintain peace and security."

Most significantly, Japanese and American leaders have aligned themselves on security issues in the face of common threats from China and North Korea.

Shinzo Abe's Legacy

Emphatically, the background to the success of this meeting was the mutual trust forged between former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump. That was further promoted by successive administrations in Japan since the time of the Abe Cabinet.

The joint statement issued after the summit confirmed the importance of upholding a "free and open Indo-Pacific." It also made clear that Article 5 of the Japan-US Security Treaty — which obliges the United States to defend territories under Japan's administration from armed attack — applies to the Senkaku Islands. Finally, it also reaffirmed the common goal of maintaining "peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Moreover, there was a firm statement of American support for Japan's determination to solve North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals as soon as possible.

After this summit, Prime Minister Ishiba should not become complacent and neglect continued diplomacy with the US. Strengthening the alliance is essential to pursue the "golden age of US-Japan relations" mentioned in the summit's joint statement.

*Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and US President Donald Trump stand together after their meeting in the Oval Office, the White House, on February 7. (©Prime Minister's Office)*

Japan's Investment and Defense Capabilities

In that joint leaders' statement, the Prime Minister committed "to fundamentally reinforcing Japan's defense capabilities beyond FY 2027." That is the year the current total spending of ¥43 trillion JPY ($284 billion USD) is due to end. His pledge must now be reliably fulfilled before any visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping takes place.

As for economics, both sides confirmed the importance of pursuing their respective national interests. The US side appears to understand Japan's track record of contributing to the US through investment and employment. It also seems to appreciate Prime Minister Ishiba's desire to increase Japanese investment in the US to the $1 trillion level.

A recent hot point has been the proposed Nippon Steel buyout of US Steel. On this, the two sides agreed that instead of purchasing US Steel, Nippon Steel would make a sizable investment in the American company. How the matter will be eventually resolved remains unclear. However, we view this as progress in overturning the Biden administration's decision to close the door on Nippon Steel.

Energy Cooperation

Ishiba and Trump also agreed that the US will increase exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other products to Japan. This would be significant from a security perspective. In addition, it would diversify Japan's sources for LNG procurement and allow for continued imports in times of emergency.

On the US side, it would also help reduce the trade deficit with Japan. However, the considerable costs involved, including for pipeline construction, should be carefully considered before proceeding.

The summit meeting did not eliminate the possibility that the high tariff policy being promoted by the Trump administration might be applied to Japan at some future date. The Ishiba administration must now strive to develop even closer channels of communication with the American government.

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

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