Trump Wants to Build Good Relationship with Japan, Is Friendlier Than He Seems, Says Ishiba

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:22 JST, February 11, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said he shared with U.S. President Donald Trump wide-ranging views on the countries’ security and economic partnership during their recent meeting.

In an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Sunday, Ishiba, who spoke with Trump in Washington on Friday, also expressed his hopes for further strengthening relations with the U.S. president. The following is excerpted from the interview.

The Yomiuri Shimbun: Were you able to build a personal relationship of trust with Trump?

Shigeru Ishiba: A personal relationship of trust cannot be built overnight, but the fact that I felt like meeting Trump and talking to him in person again means a lot. I got the impression that he also wants to build good Japan-U.S. relations, and create a relationship where the leaders of the two nations can talk at any time.

An image has been created of Trump as someone who is overbearing and authoritarian, but I think that is not the case. I could sense the warmth in his reaction when I told him that I thought his signature initiative of “Make America Great Again” was a show of compassion for the forgotten people in the American Rust Belt. He seemed pleased that I understood what he meant by the phrase.

Yomiuri: Were you able to gain his understanding of the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance?

Ishiba: U.S. military bases in Japan are not just frontline bases. I think that he fully understood that they are the foundation from which the United States can exercise various forms of power in the world.

Yomiuri: You and Trump issued a joint statement that notes Japan’s commitment to fundamentally reinforcing its defense capabilities even after fiscal 2027, when Japan will increase its security-related spending to 2% of gross domestic product. Are you considering raising spending to more than 2% of GDP?

Ishiba: Defense spending is not something that is raised or lowered because another country tells us to do so. It may go [above 2%] as a result of necessary increases. But even if we do not reach it, that will be fine as long as we are strengthening our defense capabilities.

Yomiuri: Did you discuss the Japan-U.S. alliance, such as a revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement?

Ishiba: If you start off with something that is very difficult and requires discussion, you will end up talking only about that and won’t be able to move forward. I still feel it’s necessary to further improve the credibility of the alliance, including by revising the Status of Forces Agreement. A time will come to discuss it, when we have had repeated talks, strengthened mutual trust and shared how we understand things.

For the summit, I thought about what was necessary in the limited time available. The objective was to have the president recognize Japan’s sincere efforts toward regional peace and stability and to share the importance of the Quad framework that involves four countries, namely Japan, the United States, Australia and India, as well as of other frameworks such as the one comprising Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Yomiuri: Did you get any glimpse of how Trump views China?

Ishiba: I don’t think he only views China as an enemy, but it is clear he does not accept unilateral changes to the status quo by force. With this caveat in mind, it can’t be ruled out that various deals could be made.

Yomiuri: Trump has called North Korea a nuclear power. Did you find anything at odds with the Japanese government’s position that the abduction issue and the nuclear and missile issues should be resolved together?

Ishiba: We agreed that the denuclearization of North Korea must be pursued by both Japan and the United States. While Japan must take the initiative in resolving the abduction issue, it would be very significant if Trump were to mention the issue when he meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

— Interviewed by Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Michitaka Kaiya