Trump reaffirms strong U.S.-Japan alliance in first meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday, hailing the U.S.–Japan relationship as an “alliance at the strongest level” during one of the busiest days of his Asia tour.

Takaichi, who last week became Japan’s first female prime minister, faces the challenge of balancing her close alignment with Washington against Japan’s domestic economic priorities. During their meeting, the leaders emphasized trade and defense cooperation as central pillars of the alliance.

The visit followed Trump’s stop in Malaysia and comes ahead of a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where officials from both nations say a trade deal is nearing completion.

In a gesture underscoring Japan’s continuity in relations with Washington, Takaichi presented Trump with mementos from his 2017 visit, when he played golf with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The gifts included Abe’s golf club, gold-coated golf balls engraved with Trump’s name, and a caddy bag once used by Japanese golf star Hideki Matsuyama, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara.

Speaking aboard the USS George Washington, docked at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, Trump praised Takaichi, telling U.S. and Japanese service members, “This woman is a winner.” Takaichi responded, calling it an “honor” to appear alongside Trump and stressing the need for “unwavering determination” to maintain regional peace and stability.

Takaichi later told reporters that the two leaders did not discuss specific defense spending targets, though she reaffirmed her commitment to Japan’s military expansion. Her government has pledged to raise defense spending to 2% of GDP by March, two years ahead of schedule.

During the visit, the U.S. and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation in the shipbuilding and maritime industries — part of a $550 billion bilateral investment stemming from an earlier tariff agreement. The MOU, signed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Japanese Transport Minister Takayuki Kaneko, establishes a joint working group to support development and modernization in the shipbuilding sector.

Earlier in the day, Trump and Takaichi met with families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, including Sakie Yokota, whose daughter Megumi was taken in 1977 at age 13. Yokota, now 89, thanked Trump for his ongoing attention to the issue and expressed hope for renewed dialogue.

“It’s a critical moment,” she said. “We are getting old, and this decades-old problem must be resolved. I hope President Trump can convince Kim Jong Un to return our loved ones.”

Trump capped the day with a speech to U.S. troops, touching on familiar themes such as crime, trade, and military readiness. He criticized Democrats over the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, repeated unsubstantiated claims about election integrity, and quipped about his preference for older naval technology — including “steam catapults” over newer magnetic systems on aircraft carriers.

After finishing his remarks, Trump danced briefly to “YMCA,” before joining Japanese business leaders for an evening reception in Tokyo.