Trump Willing to Meet with Ishiba, Maybe Before Inauguration; Gave Gifts for Prime Minister to Shinzo Abe’s Widow

By Shinji Abe / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

15:47 JST, December 17, 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expressed his willingness to meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, saying it could take place before his Jan. 20 inauguration, at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Monday.

“Yes, I would love to see the prime minister. We will do that,” Trump said after being asked about the possibility of meeting with Ishiba, at his first press conference since the November presidential election.

Trump also said he has “great respect” for the position of prime minister of Japan.

Ishiba sought to meet with Trump during his trip to South America in November, but the meeting did not take place, apparently due to Trump’s policy of not meeting with foreign leaders before taking office.

Trump also said at the Monday press conference that he presented a book and other items as gifts for Ishiba to Akie Abe, the widow of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, when they met Sunday. Akie had dinner with Trump and his wife Melania after Akie approached Melania about a meeting.

Trump was close to the former prime minister and said the meeting was held “out of respect to Shinzo.”