The Latest: Trump meets with newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo

U S President Donald Trump has met with Japan s newly elected ultraconservative leader in Tokyo during one of the busiest days of his Asia trip Just days after taking office Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may look to build a personal connection with Trump to ease pact tensions One key to this strategy might be an idea floated by Japan s regime to buy a fleet of American Ford F- trucks His itinerary for Tuesday also includes speaking to U S troops aboard an aircraft carrier and mingling with business leaders During his trip through Asia Trump has focused mostly on discussing business with world leaders aiming to highlight America s influence on the global economic system Here s the latest Japanese prime minister gifts Trump mementoes of his visit Takaichi presented Trump with mementos from his visit when he and former leader Shinzo Abe played golf together underscoring her own closeness to the late Abe who had friendly ties with Trump The gifts included a golf club that Abe used when he and Trump played rounds six years ago as well as a set of gold-coated golf balls carrying Trump s name according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara There was also a caddy bag used by a top Japanese golf pro Hideki Matsuyama who played with them at the time Kihara declined to disclose what Takaichi received from Trump The trial of Abe s accused assassin started on Tuesday in the western Japanese city of Nara Trump and Takaichi meet with families whose loved ones were abducted to North Korea decades ago Trump and Takaichi met with Sakie Yokota and about a dozen other people whose loved ones were abducted by North Korea decades ago In Yokota s then- -year-old daughter Megumi was abducted to North Korea from Japan s northern coast on her way home from school Yokota declared she hopes for progress on the issue and thanked Trump for pledging his advocacy It s a critical moment We are getting old and this decades-old matter that has been left unresolved is now in the hands of our children Yokota commented I desperately hope President Trump would have good talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and convince him to return our loved ones Japanese prime minister tells Trump she ll nominate him for a Nobel Prize The White House says Takaichi stated Trump that she s nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize Doing so has become a common occurrence among foreign leaders looking to impress Trump with several backing his nomination or at least promising to do so in latest months Trump also got nominated on this trip by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Monday The president didn t win the Nobel Peace Prize this year But he s noted that the awards committee made its decision before he helped broker a ceasefire that has halted the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Trump says he s with families whose loved ones were abducted by North Korea As Trump and Takaichi emerged from their bilateral meeting a dozen people were seated on both sides of the room holding pictures of family members The White House revealed that they were relatives who had loved ones abducted by North Korea Trump also met with families of Japanese who were abducted by North Korea in the s and s during a visit to Japan during his first term in He suggested chosen of the same relatives were on-hand on Tuesday saying I remember all these beautiful faces I m with them all the way Trump explained And the U S is with them Trump and Takaichi sign a number of agreements on bilateral cooperation One agreement aimed to strengthen the supply chain of rare earths and other critical minerals a move showcasing coordination between the two allies amid the U S -China dispute over Beijing s rare earths export controls Other deals between Japan and the U S include cooperation in Alaska s advancement of liquid natural gas and stoppage of Russian LNG imports and Japan s soybean imports according to Japanese media reports Japan uses trio of US vehicles to try and impress Trump Call it pick-up diplomacy Japanese bureaucrats parked a trio of U S vehicles a gold-hued Ford F- and what appeared to be two white American-made Toyota vehicles outside Akasaka Palace where Trump and Takaichi had met and signed deal agreements Trump wants allies including Japan to buy more American goods while also making financial commitments to build factories and potential infrastructure in the U S The vehicles were meant to impress him When he heard about the possibility of a Ford F- being incorporated into his visit Trump praised the idea and Japan s prime minister Flying to Asia aboard Air Force One the president noted She has good taste and noted That s a hot truck Trump and Takaichi sign two agreements Both leaders signed the implementation of an agreement for the golden age of their countries alliance Held up after the signing the document ran to less than one-page Trump and Takaichi then signed a second agreement this one laying out a U S -Japan framework for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths When the signing ceremony had concluded a reporter called out a question to Trump but got no answer Organizers questioned in English that the press please move on to the next event Japan planning to give Washington new cherry trees next year Takaichi explained Trump that her country would give Washington various additional cherry trees next year in honor of the nation s th anniversary celebration as well as fireworks from Akita Prefecture for July celebrations in Then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gifted new cherry trees to Washington during a visit to the White House with President Joe Biden in Last year s gift was meant to replace trees removed for construction to repair the crumbling seawall around the nation s capital s Tidal Basin while also commemorating the th anniversary of the U S in Trump says Takaichi as Japan s first female prime minister is a big deal The president offered especially effusive praise to Takaichi telling her Anything I can do to help Japan we will be there You re going to do a fantastic job and we re going to have a fantastic relationship he mentioned Trump also hailed Takaichi being the first woman to hold the post saying That s a big deal before adding You will be one of the great prime ministers The president reported Takaichi that his offer to promotion Japan in all situations extended to any favors you need Takaichi mentions her mentor s bond with Trump Takaichi used her early remarks to mention former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe her archconservative mentor who forged a strong bond with Trump during the U S president s first term As a matter of fact Prime Minister Abe often communicated me about your dynamic diplomacy she commented In his own comments Trump noted I want to thank you very much and I want to congratulate you He continued Shinzo Abe was a great friend of mine and added he spoke so well of you Trump stated Abe would be very happy to know that Takaichi was now prime minister Abe was assassinated on July during an balloting campaign speech Trump recalled being saddened by Abe s killing Takaichi starts meeting with Trump by talking about US World Series Before meeting with Trump the Japanese prime minister reported she was watching the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Toronto Blue Jays in the U S World Series Takaichi stated the Dodgers were up - and that she really enjoyed watching it Baseball is a shared pastime in the U S and Japan Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is a near ubiquitous presence across Japan in ads and the Dodgers ballpark increasingly caters to tourists from Japan coming to the U S to watch him Trump praises Takaichi s strong handshake The president arrived for a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the Akasaka palace in Tokyo Trump was surrounded by U S bureaucrats including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent While posing for photos Trump shook hands with Takaichi and disclosed That s a very strong handshake The U S delegation also included White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt who stated to Takaichi Congratulations we re so excited for you Trump and Takaichi are scheduled to hold upcoming meetings Source