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During a latest trip to Japan's capital, former US President Trump together with the Japanese recently elected Prime Minister Takaichi exchanged friendly compliments and vowed to strengthen the already strong bilateral relations.

Key Points from the Meeting

Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Takaichi as a ‘great’ figure and applauded her on becoming the nation's inaugural female prime minister. In their discussions at the capital'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 Prime Minister Abe, applauded Trump's efforts to resolve global disputes and according to sources vowed to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Economic and Defense Agreements

Both nations announced a series of joint projects in areas such as power, AI, and rare earths. Japanese companies are exploring funding of up to $400bn in the United States.

Additionally, Tokyo had previously pledged $550bn in strategic American projects, loans, and guarantees as part of an arrangement to secure relief from Trump's import duties.

Such moves are seen as possibly reducing any future requests from the US side for Tokyo to boost its defense expenditure. Takaichi responded to this by committing to accelerate proposals to raise defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product.

Additional Political Updates

• Donald Trump left the door open to a third term, though it is legally impossible. He remarked he ‘would like’ to run again but won't exploit a VP workaround.
• Michigan representative Tlaib responded to Trump's statements, saying, “Under no circumstances will we allow that.”
• California Governor Newsom suggested he will decide on a 2028 presidential run after the 2026 midterm elections.
• The head of the US biggest federal workers union called for an end to the government shutdown, which is currently the second longest in American history.
• House Speaker Johnson criticized Democratic leader Jeffries for supporting a contender in the New York City mayor’s race.
• The governor of Indiana Braun announced a special session to redraw congressional districts.
• Democratic leaders in various regions are planning redistricting in reaction to Republican actions.

“Everything I know from Shinzo and others, you will be one of the great prime ministers,” Trump told Takaichi. “I also want to congratulate you on becoming the first female prime minister. This is a significant achievement,” he continued.

The encounter highlights the ongoing importance of the US-Japan alliance and sets the stage for further cooperation on economic, security, and foreign policy areas.