The Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Ishiba Shigeru, was on a visit to the United States of America from 6-8 February, 2025, and held the first in-person summit meeting with the President of the United States Mr. Donald J. Trump in Washington D.C. During the meeting, the leaders affirmed their determination to pursue a new golden age for U.S.-Japan relations that would uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific region and bring peace and prosperity to the world.
With the aim to build a robust partnership with the new U.S. administration, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that U.S. is important for Japan’s diplomacy and security and the former aims to work with President Trump in elevating the Japan-U.S. alliance to newer heights and work towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance and reinforce the close partnership in the economic domain. They pledged to elevate the Japan-U.S. partnership to even higher levels by improving business environment, increasing bilateral investment, employment and strengthen each other’s industries, lead the world in development in the field of AI, semiconductors, and harness energy in the growing market of the Indo-Pacific region.
In matters of regional affairs, the leaders discussed issues pertaining to the East and South China Seas, Taiwan Strait, and the Korean Peninsula; with the aim of developing coordination and peace of like-minded countries, including the Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea, Japan-Australia- India-U.S. and Japan-U.S.-Philippines.
The leaders also unveiled a Joint Statement that is inclusive of the following features;
U.S.-Japan Cooperation for Peace
The two leaders expressed their shared desire for bilateral security and defense cooperation under the Japan-US Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security to grow a stronger partnership and form guidelines for further US-Japan cooperation and emphasized that the US-Japan Alliance remains the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The United States underscored its unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan, using its full range of capabilities, including nuclear capabilities, which will in turn propel a better military alliance between the two nations. The leaders affirmed to continue their strong partnership in civil space and in the domains of aeronautics, science, and human exploration, including on the upcoming Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station that includes U.S. and Japanese astronauts as well as lunar surface exploration on future Artemis missions.
U.S.-Japan Cooperation for Growth and Prosperity
The two leaders affirmed that their bilateral economic cooperation, including economic security, forms a crucial part of the US-Japan alliance and trade agreements. And in order to chart an unwavering course for strengthening economic ties and elevating the economic partnership to the next level, the leaders agreed to: promote business opportunities and increase bilateral investment and employment, strengthen their industrial bases and collaborate to lead the world in developing critical technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and leading-edge semiconductors, enhance efforts to counter and build resilience against economic coercion, and jointly promote growth in the Indo-Pacific region through free and fair trade treaties and a well-functioning economic US-Japan alliance.
U.S.-Japan Coordination in the Indo-Pacific
The two leaders shared views on the severe and complex security environment and expressed their determination to continuously cooperate in order to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. In line with that, the two leaders affirmed to advance a multi-layered and aligned cooperation amongst like-minded countries, including Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad), Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan-U.S.-Australia, and Japan-U.S.-Philippines. It is through these strategic partnerships that the United States, Japan, and like-minded partners can achieve high quality infrastructure investments in the region, including the deployment of Open Radio Access Networks in third countries.
All in all, the leaders agreed to maintain close partnership and strategize more guidelines for peace to further uphold and bolster U.S.-Japan relations. President Trump also accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Ishiba for an official visit to Japan in the future.
