Trump Receives ‘Takaichi-Style’ Hospitality during His Visit to Japan with Gifts, U.S.-Grown Rice, American-Made Trucks  

By Akihisa Ota / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:49 JST, October 29, 2025

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump as her first foreign guest since taking office, providing “Takaichi-style” hospitality. For Japan, which positions the Japan-U.S. alliance as the pillar of its foreign and security policy, her building a personal relationship with the president directly serves the national interest.

On Tuesday morning, Takaichi greeted Trump at the entrance of the State Guest House in Tokyo. She shook hands with him while saying welcome to Japan and welcome back.

Gifts prepared by the Japanese side for Trump are believed to have helped bring the two leaders closer. Takaichi gifted him a golf bag signed by professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama, who played with him during his visit to Japan in 2017, and a gold-leaf golf ball.

Black baseball caps with gold text of “Japan is back” embroidered on the front also helped the two leaders hit it off. The phrase, which Takaichi repeated during her campaign for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency, is modeled after “America is back,” the phrase Trump used when he was inaugurated in January to stress the resurgence of his country.

At the working lunch, Trump was served dishes prepared with vegetables and sake from Nara Prefecture, where Takaichi is from, risotto made with U.S.-grown rice and U.S. beef steak.

An American-made pickup truck — which Trump has been urging the Japanese government to purchase — was parked near the front garden of the State Guest House. Takaichi said during their talks that Japan will donate 250 cherry trees to the United States on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding next year.

During his speech beside Takaichi aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Trump emphasized the progress in their relationship. He said the two have “become very close friends all of a sudden.”

A senior Japanese government official said, “We achieved the maximum results possible that we can show off internationally.”

On Tuesday evening, Takaichi posted a photo of her and Trump in U.S. Marine One on her X account.

Meanwhile, there were indications that Takaichi was unfamiliar with diplomatic protocol. During the welcoming ceremony before talks, her manner of escorting Trump appeared awkward, and Trump walked ahead of her in some instances.

“She lacks experience in these situations since she has only been in office a week,” a close aide to Takaichi said.