President Donald Trump, received Japanese prime minister, Shigeru Ihiba, at the White House on a visit that Tokyo expects the alliance between the United States and Japan to reaffirm. At a press conference, Isthiba and Trump announced multiple agreements.
President Donald Trump declared on Friday that he wants to reduce the United States trade deficit with Japan while welcoming Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru ishiba to the White House for his first face to face.
During the press conference after the meeting, Trump announced that Japan will begin to import a record amount of new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
The US president added that the two countries were working in a joint business linked to oil and Alaska gas.
“We have opened the sale of LNG immediately (…) Japan in particular, we are very happy that they will start immediately,” he said.
Ishiba, who spoke through an interpreter, said Japan was also interested in importing bioethanol, ammonia and other resources at a price that described as stable.
On the other hand, Trump announced that Nippon Steel was abandoning his acquisition of Us Steel, based in Pittsburgh, and instead he would make an “investment, instead of a purchase.” Trump said he “would mediate and arbitrate” while companies negotiate the investment. Trump erroneously referred to Nippon Steel as “Nissan”, the Japanese car manufacturer.
President Joe Biden, before leaving office last month, blocked the purchase, citing national security concerns. Trump in December said he was “totally against the once large and powerful Us Steel was bought by a foreign company.” He told reporters on Friday that he is still opposing the sale.
Nippon and Us Steel had filed a demand for To restore the agreement. And Nippon has intensified its public campaign, arguing that the “transaction is in line with the focus of President Trump” in manufacturing and “contributes to the objectives of President Trump to promote investment in the United States, create jobs in the United States and strengthen manufacturing in the United States. ”
Trump's impulse to reduce trade deficit occurs while seeking to apply tariffs both to friends and enemies in an effort to boost US manufacturing.
Ishiba, who made a lightning trip to Washington to have a face -to -face match with Trump, said he understands that Trump's goal is a mutually beneficial commercial policy.
But Ishiba said that Japanese companies have occupied first place in direct foreign investment accumulated in the United States during the last five years. He added that Japan sought to invest more in the United States.
The rapid trip was essential for Ishiba while seeking that the United States and Japan maintain a solid relationship with Trump's return. Both countries seek to counteract China's policies in the Pacific and have concerns about nuclear weapons in North Korea.
“I think that Prime Minister ishiba certainly sees this as an important and critical opportunity for him to restore what were exceptional links between President Trump and Japan in the first Trump administration,” said Senator Bill Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee to He served as Trump ambassador to Japan during his first administration.
During his first term, Trump and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed the framework of the “free and open indopacific” to promote peace and prosperity in the region. The two countries also agreed to raise what is known as the Quad group with India and Australia.
The fact that the Trump administration considers these formats as a fundamental part of its strategy in the Pacific is important, said Jeffrey Hornung, Japan head of the Rand National Security Research Division.
(With information from Reuters and The Associated Press)