Japan, US Aim to Strengthen Ties at First Meeting of Top Diplomats
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have pledged to elevate bilateral relations during their inaugural meeting.
Iwaya, who was the first Japanese foreign minister to attend a US presidential inauguration, conveyed the importance of the US-Japan economic partnership and Japan's significant contributions to the US economy. Notably, tariffs were not explicitly discussed.
"This was effectively Rubio's first meeting as Secretary," Iwaya stated. "We had a wide-ranging and candid exchange of views."
While President Trump has not yet implemented comprehensive global tariffs, Japan acknowledges the potential of future tariff threats. In 2019, the country averted additional levies on auto exports through extensive trade negotiations. However, the Iwaya-Rubio meeting seemingly avoided tariff discussions for the present.
"We agreed to collaborate in elevating the Japan-US alliance and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," Iwaya said.
Iwaya also engaged with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and attended a Quad meeting with Rubio and counterparts from Australia and India. The Quad meeting's timing, soon after the new administration's inauguration, signifies President Trump's recognition of multilateral frameworks, according to Iwaya.
The date for the first summit between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is still under discussion.
Regarding possible US requests for increased Japanese defense spending and the controversy surrounding Nippon Steel Corp.'s proposed acquisition of United States Steel Corp., Iwaya stated that Japan is progressively increasing its defense budget. He also emphasized Japan's status as the largest US investor and expressed a desire for the US to alleviate concerns regarding Japanese investment in the country.