Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun seriously coordinating his schedule for a visit to the United States, following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump telling the Japanese government he would be available to meet with the prime minister in mid-January.
If the January meeting actually takes place, it will be an opportunity for the prime minister to build trust with the president-elect at an early stage. However, it will not be an official summit between the two countries, as it is to be held before his inauguration, so the government cannot expect to issue a joint statement or any other form of document to promote the meeting’s accomplishments.
At a press conference on Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said only that the government would try to set the meeting at “a time convenient to both sides.”
A senior member of the Ishiba administration said, “Trump clearly said that he can meet, so it’s a good choice to accept his offer.”
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20241220-228885/
