Donald Trump concluded the Japanese portion of his high-stakes Asia tour today amid fanfare, major resource-and-investment deals, and a surprising diplomatic flourish: a proposed Nobel nomination.
Arriving in Tokyo, President Trump met with Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s newly-elected prime minister and the first woman to hold the post. The two signed a framework agreement on rare earths and critical minerals, part of a coordinated effort to reduce dependence on China’s dominant processing capacity.
Takaichi, known for her strong conservative stance and aligned with the legacy of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, rolled out the red carpet in full diplomatic fashion. During their meeting, she publicly pledged to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize a symbolic victory for the U.S. president ahead of his critical summit with Xi Jinping in South Korea.
The rare-earths deal targets supply-chain resilience: Japan and the U.S. agree to coordinate investments, stockpiling and processing of minerals crucial to electronics, clean-energy, defense and advanced manufacturing domains where China currently dominates.
In remarks aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier docked in Tokyo, Trump praised Takaichi’s leadership, noting: “She is going to go down as one of the great prime ministers.”
Beyond industry and resources, the visit featured strong signals on security and trade. Japan committed to increase defence spending and deepen cooperation with the U.S., while Japanese firms pledged hundreds of billions of dollars of investment in the U.S. economy.
The mood was festive: Japanese landmarks were lit in red-white-and-blue, ceremonies featured gifts tying traditions and golf symbolism (including a putter from Shinzo Abe), and a public address included cheers from U.S. and Japanese troops.
The Japanese leg serves as both a diplomatic victory and strategic positioning for the upcoming meeting between Trump and Xi in Korea. With tensions high over trade, export controls, and China’s regional ambitions, the Japan accord gives the U.S. added leverage and a visible alternative alliance for supply-chain security.
As Trump departs for South Korea, the message is clear: the U.S. and Japan are signalling a “golden age” of bilateral cooperation in minerals, security, investment and global diplomacy.
Whether this golden-age rhetoric translates into sustained policy and measurable outcomes remains to be seen, but for now the Japan stop of Trump’s Asia tour ended on a high note of pageantry, strategy, and symbolic gestures.
Originally written by: Anthony Zurcher
Shaimaa Khalil
Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8drem8518do
