Japan and the US are key defence allies and each other's leading foreign financiers

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday left for the United States ahead of what will be President Donald Trump's second top with a foreign leader given that his return to the White House.

Japan is among the closest allies of the United States in Asia with around 54,000 US military personnel stationed in the nation.

Ishiba will be promoting peace of mind on the importance of the US-Japan alliance, as Trump's "America First" agenda dangers encroaching on the countries' trade and defence ties.

"It would be wonderful if we might affirm that we will work together for the development this region and the world and for peace," Ishiba informed press reporters in Tokyo before leaving for complexityzoo.net the trip.

Japan's Nikkei newspaper said Thursday the pair will release a joint statement, which might vow to build a "golden age" of bilateral relations and bring the alliance to "new heights".

Ishiba is anticipated to inform Trump that Japan will increase defence buy from the United States, the Nikkei said.

Ishiba may also propose importing more US gas-- chiming with Trump's plan to "drill, child, drill" while increasing energy security for resource-poor Japan.

Since Japan has actually cut its liquefied gas (LNG) imports from Russia, it "desperately requires to open new sources of LNG, and other energy more broadly", Sheila Smith, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told AFP.

"The intention is to present a win-win value proposition from Ishiba to the president," she said.

Trump will satisfy Ishiba in Washington on Friday-- just days after a joint interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where the US president triggered outcry with a proposition to take control of the Gaza Strip.

The Japan top could be less shocking, Smith said, as Trump "has a fairly strong dedication to the alliances in Asia".

- Taiwan threat -

Ishiba has worried the significance of US defence ties, pointing to hazards on Japan's doorstep such as China pressing its claims of sovereignty on the self-ruled island of Taiwan.

Tokyo should "continue to protect the US commitment to the region, to prevent a power vacuum resulting in local instability", Ishiba just recently told parliament.

Trump and Ishiba are anticipated to affirm the significance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Japanese media said.

That would echo joint declarations made by the last US president Joe Biden with previous Japanese prime ministers.

Focusing on this point is "incredibly crucial" since Japan and the United States must work together to prevent a prospective crisis, said Takashi Shiraishi, an international relations professional at the Prefectural University of Kumamoto.

As Japan and the United States renegotiate how to share the concern of defence expenses, however, there are issues Trump could supply less cash and push Japan to do more, Smith said.

"That's where ... the Ishiba-Trump relationship could get a bit sticky," she said.

- After Abe -

Also triggering jitters is Trump's willingness to slap trade tariffs on major trading partners China, Canada, disgaeawiki.info and Mexico-- though he has postponed procedures against the latter 2 countries pending talks.

"I hope Ishiba will show him there are other ways to attain financial security," such as complying on innovation, told AFP.

One example is the Stargate drive, revealed after Trump's January inauguration, to invest as much as $500 billion in AI facilities in the United States, led by Japanese tech investment leviathan SoftBank Group and US firm OpenAI.

Reports said the leaders might likewise discuss Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion quote to buy US Steel, which Biden obstructed on nationwide security grounds.

Japan and the United States are each other's leading foreign financiers, and the Nikkei reported that the leaders will settle on developing an investment-friendly environment.

During his very first term, visualchemy.gallery Trump and Japan's then-prime minister Shinzo Abe took pleasure in warm relations.

As president-elect in December, Trump also hosted Akie Abe, the widow of Japan's assassinated ex-premier, clashofcryptos.trade for a supper with Melania Trump at their Florida home.

Trump constructed a strong relationship with Abe, for whom Smith thinks he had a "genuine fondness".

He will likely "see Ishiba through a various lens", said Smith, and "it will be more the state-to-state relationship, not the individual".

Ishiba, oke.zone 68, links.gtanet.com.br will not be the very first Japanese VIP to fulfill the 78-year-old Trump face to face since he took office-- a difference held by SoftBank creator Masayoshi Son.