Trump to visit Japan next week, hold talks with PM Sanae Takaichi

Tokyo, Oct 22 (IANS) US President Donald Trump will be on a three-day official visit to Japan from October 27-29.

Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will hold a Japan-US summit meeting. This will be Takaichi's first meeting with Trump after assuming office. During his visit, Donald Trump will also meet Japan's Emperor.

In a statement, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "President Trump's visit to Japan is an extremely meaningful opportunity to further strengthen the Japan-US alliance, and the Government of Japan wholeheartedly welcomes President Trump's visit to Japan."

This is Trump's fourth visit to Japan as President. He had earlier visited Japan during his first term as US President in 2019.

Earlier in September, Japan's then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attended a reception hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

Shigeru Ishiba expressed gratitude to Trump for his friendship and trust and stressed the importance of the Japan-US Alliance in realising global peace and prosperity would remain unwavering, according to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement. Ishiba and Trump welcomed the steady and positive progress, which serves the national interests of both nations.

Earlier in February, Donald Trump and Shigeru Ishiba held their first official meeting in Washington, where they affirmed their determination to pursue a new golden age for US-Japan ties that upholds a free and open Indo-Pacific and brings peace and prosperity to a violent and disorderly world, according to the leaders' joint statement.

The joint statement said, "The two leaders expressed their shared desire for bilateral security and defence cooperation under the US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security to grow stronger than ever, and emphasised that the US-Japan Alliance remains the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Japan reiterated its unwavering commitment to fundamentally reinforce its own defence capabilities, which the United States welcomed."

--IANS

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