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In the course of a recent trip to Tokyo, ex- American leader Trump together with Japan's recently elected Premier Takaichi shared friendly praise and vowed to strengthen the currently strong two-way relations.

Key Points from the Meeting

Donald Trump praised Takaichi as a ‘great’ leader and applauded her on assuming the role of the nation's first female premier. During their discussions at Tokyo's official venue, the former president voiced confidence that she would become one of the ‘great prime ministers’ of the country.

Takaichi, who is a close associate of former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, applauded his initiatives to address international disputes and reportedly vowed to put forward him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Economic and Security Agreements

The two nations announced a list of collaborative projects in sectors such as power, AI, and critical minerals. Japanese companies are exploring investments of up to $400 billion in the United States.

Furthermore, Japan had earlier committed $550 billion in long-term American projects, loans, and guarantees as part of an agreement to obtain exemption from the former president's tariffs.

These moves are viewed as potentially reducing any upcoming requests from Trump for Tokyo to increase its military spending. The prime minister addressed this by promising to accelerate proposals to raise military budget to 2% of gross domestic product.

Additional Political Updates

• Donald Trump left the door open to a third term, although it is legally impossible. Trump remarked he ‘would love’ to serve again but would not use a VP workaround.
• Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib responded to his statements, saying, “Under no circumstances will we allow that.”
• Gavin Newsom indicated he will determine on a 2028 presidential run after the upcoming elections.
• The head of the US biggest government employees union demanded an end to the government shutdown, which is now the second longest in American history.
• House Speaker Johnson criticized opposition figure Jeffries for endorsing a candidate in the NYC mayoral election.
• The governor of Indiana Mike Braun declared a special session to redraw congressional districts.
• Opposition leaders in several states are considering redistricting in reaction to Republican actions.

“Based on what I’ve heard from Shinzo and others, you are destined to be an outstanding prime minister,” Donald Trump told Takaichi. “I also want to congratulate you on becoming the first female prime minister. This is a significant achievement,” he continued.

This encounter highlights the continuing importance of the US-Japan alliance and paves the way for additional cooperation on trade, security, and foreign policy areas.