U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Japan on Monday for the next leg of his Asia tour, with expectations rising that his upcoming meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping could finally bring an end to their long-running trade war.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Xi, and also hinted that he might extend his trip to include a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“I have a lot of respect for President Xi, and I think we’re going to come away with a deal,” Trump said during the flight from Malaysia, where encouraging remarks from U.S. and Chinese negotiators had already lifted hopes of a breakthrough.
The presidential aircraft, carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, landed at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport at sunset, greeted by dozens of spectators eager to capture the moment. Wearing a golden tie, Trump later boarded a helicopter bound for central Tokyo, where he was scheduled to meet the emperor that evening.
On Tuesday, the U.S. president will meet Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and deliver a speech aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, docked at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka.
“I’ve heard great things about her,” Trump said of Takaichi. “She was a strong ally of my friend Shinzo Abe, and I think she’ll be fantastic for Japan and for us.”
Markets on Edge
This is Trump’s first tour of Asia since returning to the White House. His trip began in Malaysia on Sunday, where several new agreements were signed — including trade and mineral deals with Malaysia, as well as new trade pacts rewarding Cambodia and Thailand following their joint ceasefire announcement at the ASEAN summit. He also sought to mend ties with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
However, the most closely watched part of the trip remains the anticipated meeting with Xi, scheduled for Thursday in South Korea — their first face-to-face encounter since Trump’s return to power.
Ahead of Trump’s visit, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng held two days of talks. China’s Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang later confirmed that both sides had reached a “preliminary consensus.”
Bessent told reporters on Air Force One that the negotiators had agreed on “a framework for President Trump and President Xi to decide.”
“It’s going to be great for China and great for us,” Trump said in Kuala Lumpur.
Japan’s Defence and Trade Focus
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi recently announced plans to increase defence spending to 2% of GDP this fiscal year. However, Washington — which maintains about 60,000 U.S. troops in Japan — is pushing Tokyo to boost its spending even further, potentially to match NATO’s new 5% benchmark.
While most Japanese imports to the U.S. currently face 15% tariffs — lower than the 25% rate initially threatened — Trump continues to push Japan to buy more American goods, including rice, soybeans, automobiles, and Ford F-150 pickup trucks.
Questions also linger over Japan’s pledge to invest $550 billion in the U.S. under their July trade deal.
“Since President Trump is known for decisive action, I think this visit could move things in a positive direction for Japan,” said Tokyo resident Sayaka Kamimoto, 45.
Possible Kim Jong Un Meeting
Trump is scheduled to arrive in the South Korean port city of Busan on Wednesday for the APEC Summit, where he will meet President Lee Jae Myung. Speculation is mounting that he may also meet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, with whom he last met in 2019 at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
“I’d love to meet him if he wants to,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “I got along great with Kim Jong Un — I liked him, and he liked me.”
Asked if he would extend his trip for such a meeting, Trump replied:
“I hadn’t really thought about it, but yes, I would — absolutely.”
— AFP
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