News Brief
Trump, Takaichi Seal Minerals Pact, Vow To Deepen US–Japan Ties Amid Trade Push
Trump with Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has vowed to usher in a “new golden age” of relations with the United States as she met US President Donald Trump in Tokyo on Monday (27 October), marking her first major diplomatic engagement since taking office.
The two leaders signed a framework agreement to secure the mining and processing of rare earths and critical minerals, a move seen as a direct response to China’s tightening export controls on these essential materials.
According to the White House, the agreement aims “to assist both countries in achieving resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earths supply chains.”
It added that Washington and Tokyo would use coordinated investment and economic policy to develop “diversified, liquid, and fair markets” for such resources, vital to industries spanning defence, automotive, and electronics.
Takaichi, who last week became Japan’s first female prime minister, told Trump she wished “to realise a new golden age of the Japan–US alliance, where both Japan and the United States will become stronger and also more prosperous,” as per The Guardian.
During their meeting which followed a joint viewing of baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s World Series appearance, Takaichi also congratulated Trump on his role in securing ceasefires in Gaza and between Thailand and Cambodia. She reportedly intends to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The two leaders also paid tribute to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with Trump describing him as “a great friend” who had “spoken so well” of Takaichi before her rise to power.
Trump, who is on a week-long Asia tour, will next meet China’s Xi Jinping in Seoul amid ongoing trade and security tensions in the region.
