Ishiba, U.S. President-Elect Trump Talks Will Not Take Place; No Foreign Leader Meetings Before Inauguration, Says Team

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:48 JST, November 17, 2024

Talks between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump after Ishiba has visited Peru and Brazil will not take place. The Trump side has informed the Japanese government that Trump will not meet foreign leaders in principle until he officially takes office in January, according to multiple Japanese and U.S. diplomatic sources.

The government aims to realize talks between Ishiba and Trump as soon as he takes over the presidency.

The Trump side judged it would be difficult for Trump to hold talks with foreign leaders because a 1799 U.S. law prohibits private citizens from negotiating with foreign government officials about diplomatic issues involving the U.S. government. When Trump was elected as president in 2016, he met with then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before taking office. However, Susan Wiles, named White House chief of staff in the second Trump administration, and others stress discipline and did not accept any exception, according to a source close to the Japanese government.

Trump met Argentina’s President Javier Milei on Thursday. However, Milei attended an event held at Trump’s residence and the Trump side does not position the meeting as an official one.