Trump Shows Willingness for U.S.-Japan Summit, Pushing for Meeting Before Inauguration

According to Yomiuri Shimbun, on Thursday, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump proposed a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba next month. Japan has been overtaking Trump, who now appears to be responding positively.

Trump’s team has reportedly suggested holding the summit during the third week of January, between the 12th and the 18th. This timing would place the summit just days before Trump’s inauguration on January 20. However, some within the Japanese government are advocating for a summit in February, shortly after Trump takes office. A Japanese Foreign Ministry official stated, “It would be better to have thorough discussions after he is officially inaugurated.” Nevertheless, the Japanese government seems inclined to adjust its schedule to accommodate Trump’s proposal.

The Yomiuri Shimbun noted that Trump’s team’s proposed timing is optimal for a U.S.-Japan summit. The Japanese government and the Liberal Democratic Party are considering convening a regular session of the National Diet on January 21, and Ishiba is preparing for visits to Malaysia and Indonesia in early January.

Initially, Trump was reluctant to meet with foreign leaders before his inauguration, citing the Logan Act, which prohibits private citizens from engaging in foreign diplomacy. However, after recent meetings with key Japanese figures, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife, Akie Abe, and SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son on December 15 and 16, Trump has shown a more positive attitude toward the possibility of a U.S.-Japan summit. Following his meeting with Son, who announced a $100 billion investment in the U.S., Trump expressed his willingness to meet with Ishiba, stating that he would do so if they were also interested in meeting.

This development comes after Ishiba’s prior attempt to meet with Trump during a brief stopover in the U.S. last month while returning from the APEC summit in Peru and the G20 summit in Brazil. However, the meeting did not materialize due to Trump’s lukewarm response.