The US president said he would announce reciprocal tariffs on many countries next week.
Asked if Japan would also be targeted, Trump said: “We’re going to have tariffs, mostly reciprocal tariffs … and I’m going to be probably meeting on that on Monday … that’s the only fair way to do it”.
Asked about the possibility of tariffs, Ishiba stressed the “unprecedented” Japanese investment target in the US, which he said would create many jobs. He said he was “unable to respond to a theoretical question”.
“SINCERE AND VERY POWERFUL”
Heaping praise on each other at the White House, the two leaders struck a warm tone in their first meeting.
“I was so excited to see such a celebrity on television in person,” Ishiba told their joint press conference – while saying he was not trying to “suck up.”
“On television he is frightening and has a very strong personality. But when I met with him actually he was very sincere and very powerful.”
As they exchanged photographs, Trump praised the 68-year-old Japanese premier as “good looking” – typically one of the former reality TV star’s highest orders of praise.
Trump was close with the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe but has no relationship with Ishiba, who took office in October.
Under Abe, Japan was shielded from some of Trump’s more punishing tendencies, such as sudden trade wars and pressure to increase financial contributions towards hosting US soldiers.
Days after Trump’s first election victory, Abe rushed to deliver to him a gold-plated golf club. Trump also hosted Abe’s widow Akie for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida this past December.
Ishiba had rushed to Washington hoping to blunt the edge of Trump’s “America First” policies.
