During a meeting at the White House with newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Trump emphasized his desire to achieve "equality" in the trade balance.
In 2024, the US trade deficit with Japan will reach $68.000 billion, up from $55.000 billion in 2020.
Trump indicated that tariffs are an option if this imbalance is not corrected, but expressed confidence that an agreement can be reached without implementing them. "I don't think I'm going to have any problem at all" reaching an agreement, the president stated.
Prime Minister Ishiba, for his part, stressed the importance of working together for world peace and underlined Japan's significant investment in the United States. Japan was the largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States in 2023.
In addition to trade, the two leaders discussed international security issues, including shared concerns about China's territorial ambitions and the situation in North Korea.
The meeting marks the first summit between Trump and Ishiba, who is seeking to replicate the close relationship his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, enjoyed with the US president.
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