Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump affirmed at their summit in Tokyo to bolster cooperation on defense and the economy.On the security front, Takaichi and Trump are likely to have confirmed the importance of reinforcing the alliance's deterrence and response capabilities amid growing challenges posed by China and North Korea, while Washington is calling for allies to spend more on defense, Japan news agency (Kyodo) reported.Takaichi and Trump signed documents, including one on cooperation to secure and supply critical minerals, including rare earths, in an effort to enhance economic security, according to Kyodo.Takaichi described the Japan-US alliance as "the greatest alliance in the world."She is expected to stress her plan, pledged in her parliamentary speech last week, to increase Japan's defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product by March, two years ahead of the previously set goal of fiscal 2027, Kyodo added.Japan has been raising its defense budget significantly since the fiscal 2027 target was set when the government in late 2022 revised its long-term National Security Strategy, which Takaichi has vowed to update next year.The two sides are also expected to have affirmed the steady implementation of a trade agreement struck in July, which includes a Japanese commitment to invest $550 billion in key US industries such as semiconductors, critical minerals and shipbuilding as well as increased purchases by Japan of US agricultural and other products.Based on the bilateral deal, Trump lowered US tariffs on goods from Japan, reducing the levy on automobiles to 15 percent from the previous rate of 27.5 percent.Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Seoul next Thursday, the next stop on his Asian tour.
