Ishiba Starts Preparations For Meeting With Trump; Aims to Build Trust with President-Elect at Early Stage

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:53 JST, December 20, 2024

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun seriously coordinating his schedule for a visit to the United States, following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump telling the Japanese government he would be available to meet with the prime minister in mid-January.

In the government, some officials have voiced concern about holding a meeting before Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, but with the administration continuing to walk a tightrope with a minority ruling bloc, there are growing calls within the government to make the most of the limited opportunities available.

If the January meeting actually takes place, it will be an opportunity for the prime minister to build trust with the president-elect at an early stage. However, it will not be an official summit between the two countries, as it is to be held before his inauguration, so the government cannot expect to issue a joint statement or any other form of document to promote the meeting’s accomplishments.

However, the prime minister’s schedule of overseas trips will become uncertain from February, when the Diet will fully plunge into budget discussions.

At a press conference on Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said only that the government would try to set the meeting at “a time convenient to both sides.”

A senior member of the Ishiba administration said, “Trump clearly said that he can meet, so it’s a good choice to accept his offer.”