The President of the USA Donald Trump arrived at Japan on Monday and told reporters he was excited to meet Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and for the prospect of concluding a joint agreement to promote shipbuilding capacity, according to the Bloomberg agency.

“I am looking forward to meeting the new prime minister. I’ve heard amazing things,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his flight from Malaysia, where he was attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

Trump dodged questions about which company leaders he plans to meet during his stay in Tokyo or the details of any financial deals, saying only that he plans to announce a “great friendship.”

Asked about reports that the U.S. and Japan will announce a shipbuilding deal, Trump said the U.S. wants “more ships.” “We lost this industry, but we will win it back,” the American president said.

The meeting is a high-stakes test for Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister earlier this month.

Her Liberal Democratic Party is recovering from a “black money” scandal that led to the resignation of two prime ministers, while she is pushing ahead with implementing a trade deal struck under her predecessor that includes a vague commitment by Japan to finance $550 billion in US projects.

Trump’s trip will begin with a meeting with Japanese Emperor Naruhito on Monday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

“I can’t wait to see the emperor!” Trump characteristically wrote on Truth Social shortly before landing. In 2019, Trump became the first foreign leader to meet Naruhito as emperor, after his father Akihito abdicated in the first abdication of a Japanese ruler in centuries.

The US president will meet Takaichi on Tuesday and the two are expected to visit the aircraft carrier USS George Washington later in the day at the Yokosuka Naval Base, south of Tokyo. On Tuesday night, Trump will have a dinner with business leaders.

Takaichi faces her biggest challenge: The meeting with Trump

Months before she became Japan’s prime minister, Takaichi said she had been invited to meet the US president, according to CNN.

It was November, right after winning the election, and several people in Trump’s inner circle had urged her to visit Washington, as she wrote on her official X account.

But she refused, insisting that then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should be the first Japanese official to meet the new US leader.

“However, my aim is to work hard to achieve a position that will allow me to meet him with dignity one day,” he wrote at the time. This day has arrived.

While flying on Air Force One to Asia, Trump spoke highly of Takaichi. The two leaders spoke by phone on Saturday, in a conversation that Trump called “very good.” “She’s great, she’s beautiful… She’s very friendly,” he told reporters on Air Force One after the conversation.

For Takaichi, the stakes are high. Although the US-Japan alliance is one of the strongest in the world, Takaichi’s limited diplomatic experience and Trump’s unpredictable behavior make their first meeting a critical test.

Their talks are expected to cover issues such as tariffs, regional security and Japan’s defense spending, all of which have raised tensions in recent months. Within Japan’s conservative ruling party, some worry that Washington’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region is weakening as it demands more from allies.

Back home, Takaichi faces her own challenges. Her Liberal Democratic Party is still reeling from corruption scandals, and her performance abroad could shape both her political future and her party’s recovery. Her approval rating is at a high 71%, a number her team will aim to maintain.

Possible difficulties

The issue of defense will be the dominant topic on the agenda.

Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Japan pledged to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2027. Takaichi now wants to speed up that timetable to March 2026, calling on Japan to “proactively advance the fundamental strengthening of its defense capabilities” in her first speech at Japanese parliament. However, how this aid will be financed remains unclear. With the yen weakening and Takaichi pushing for tax cuts, she may struggle to finance her ambitions.

Trade could prove to be an equally difficult issue. Since returning to office, Trump has reignited the tariff wars, targeting even longtime allies. After months of negotiations, tariffs on Japanese goods were cut from 25 percent to 15 percent, while Tokyo agreed to invest $550 billion in American industries. However, many details remain unclear and Takaichi is expected to ask for further clarification.

She has also hired veterans to help her adjust to the Washington environment. Her new cabinet includes negotiator Ryosei Akazawa, who led the recent tariff talks, and several former aides in former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration, figures who have built strong ties with Trump.

“It’s a clear message to both domestic and international audiences that he’s trying to continue the line of Abe, not Kishida or Ishiba,” said Rintaro Nishimur, senior partner at Tokyo-based firm The Asia Group.

The issue of energy is also expected to be discussed. Japan still imports about 10% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia, a dependence Washington is keen to curb. Tokyo is committed to reducing its dependence, but argues that a sharp cut could threaten its energy security.

Regional tensions

How Takaichi handles regional relations will also determine her success with Trump.

She has long been known for her tough views: She criticizes China’s growing military presence in the region and takes a conservative and nationalistic tone on issues involving the past with South Korea, where a history of Japanese colonialism and wartime sex slavery still affects relations to this day. Her visits to the controversial Yasukuni shrine, which neighboring countries see as a tribute to Japan’s past belligerent actions, have also angered both those countries.

However, since taking office, she has shown a softer approach.

In her first remarks as prime minister, she tried to ease concerns about an anti-South Korean stance by praising some of the country’s most famous exports.

“There is an understanding that cooperation between Japan and South Korea is necessary in this uncertain world,” Nishimura said. “If these two US allies deepen their defense ties, it will help reduce US weight in the region.”

Takaichi’s most difficult mission probably concerns China.

“Japan is walking a tightrope between the US and China,” said Misako Iwamoto, a professor at Mie University.

China remains Japan’s largest trading partner. Previous leaders, such as Yukio Hatoyama in 2009, have shown greater outreach to Beijing, prompting a backlash from Washington.

“But unlike Hatoyama, Takaichi is seen as firmly on the right,” Iwamoto said. “If he can improve relations with China in a way that doesn’t seem anti-American, it might not cause much friction.”

Both Trump and Takaichi are taking a tough stance on Beijing, particularly on Taiwan. Earlier this year, Takaichi visited the island and called for “cooperation with Taiwan to jointly address defense challenges.” Beijing condemned the trip as a “dangerous provocation”, warning that Japan was “at a crossroads” under its leadership.

Even before her election, tensions between the two neighbors were rising. Chinese vessels have stepped up their activities around the disputed Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Diaoyutai Islands in Taiwan, while Japan’s 2022 defense report officially named China as the “biggest security threat” for the first time.

In her first press conference as prime minister, Takaichi pledged to take US-Japan relations to “new heights,” calling the alliance a “cornerstone of Japan’s foreign and security policy.” She concluded her speech with a blunt statement: “There is no time for passivity.”

He’s right, CNN comments. Takaichi is immersed in a series of challenges, from restoring confidence within the country to finding a balance for Japan between Washington and Beijing. How she deals with these challenges will not only define her premiership, but could shape the tone and depth of the US-Japan partnership for years to come.