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During a recent trip to Japan's capital, ex- American leader Donald Trump together with Japan's recently elected Premier Sanae Takaichi shared warm praise and pledged to strengthen the currently strong bilateral ties.

Key Points from the Encounter

Trump commended Prime Minister Takaichi as a ‘great’ figure and congratulated her on becoming the nation's first woman prime minister. In their talks at Tokyo's Akasaka Palace, the former president voiced confidence that she would become one of the ‘outstanding leaders’ of the country.

Takaichi, identified as a close associate of former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, praised Trump's initiatives to resolve global conflicts and reportedly vowed to put forward Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Trade and Defense Agreements

Both governments revealed a list of joint initiatives in areas such as energy, artificial intelligence, and rare earths. Japanese firms are considering funding of up to $400bn in the United States.

Furthermore, Tokyo had earlier committed $550bn in strategic American projects, loans, and guarantees as part of an agreement to obtain exemption from Trump's tariffs.

These actions are viewed as potentially easing any upcoming demands from Trump for Japan to boost its military expenditure. Takaichi addressed this by promising to fast-track plans to increase military budget to two percent of GDP.

Additional Political Developments

• Trump left the door open to a another term, though it is legally not permitted. He remarked he ‘would like’ to serve again but won't exploit a vice presidential workaround.
• Michigan representative Rashida Tlaib reacted to Trump's statements, saying, “Under no circumstances will we allow that.”
• California Governor Newsom indicated he will decide on a 2028 presidential run after the upcoming elections.
• The head of America’s biggest federal workers union demanded an end to the federal closure, which is currently the second-longest in US history.
• Republican leader Mike Johnson blasted opposition figure Jeffries for supporting a contender in the NYC mayoral election.
• The governor of Indiana Braun declared a special session to redraw congressional districts.
• Democratic figures in various states are considering redistricting in reaction to Republican efforts.

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

This encounter underscores the continuing significance of the American-Japanese partnership and sets the stage for additional cooperation on economic, defense, and foreign policy fronts.