Japanese Prime Minister wants to meet Mr. Trump soon

(CLO) Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hopes to meet US President-elect Donald Trump in the US this month, wanting to inherit the close relationship of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during Trump's first term.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Ishiba said he had a 5-minute phone call with Mr. Trump on the morning of November 7, Japan time, and they agreed to meet as soon as possible.

"I feel he is very friendly. So from now on, I have the impression that we can talk frankly," he said.

Three sources said Japan is aiming to arrange a meeting between Ishiba and Trump shortly after the G20 summit in Brazil on November 18-19. A fourth source said Japan is aiming to arrange a stopover “around” the G20 meeting.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Photo: Reuters

The United States is Japan's most important economic and security partner, while Tokyo is Washington's key ally in Asia.

Mr Ishiba wants to follow in the footsteps of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump after his 2016 election. Mr Abe, who was assassinated in 2022, held a hastily arranged meeting at Trump Tower in New York just over a week after that election.

Mr Abe has built a close personal relationship with Mr Trump, helping to resolve a number of contentious issues between the two allies, including defence spending and trade.

Asked about the cost of stationing US troops in Japan on November 7, Mr. Ishiba said he and Mr. Trump did not discuss the issue during their phone call. “Rather than focusing on the amount of money, we wanted to have a robust discussion on strengthening the Japan-US alliance from various perspectives,” he said.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thu-tuong-nhat-ban-shigeru-ishiba-muon-som-gap-ong-donald-trump-post320415.html