Trevor Hunnicutt, John Geddie and Tim Kelly
TOKYO (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he hoped to add a trade deal with China to the raft of agreements he has already struck during a visit to Asia this week as he arrived in Tokyo for a royal reception.
Trump, on his longest trip abroad since taking office in January, announced deals with four Southeast Asian countries during his first stop in Malaysia and will end his trip with a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.
Representatives of the world's two largest economies on Sunday discussed the framework of an agreement to suspend higher U.S. tariffs and controls on rare earth metals exports from China, U.S. officials said. The news sent Asian stocks to record highs.
“I have great respect for President Xi Jinping and I think we will get a deal done,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One shortly before he touched down in the Japanese capital ahead of a meeting with Emperor Naruhito.
Wearing a gold tie and blue suit, Trump shook hands with officials waiting for him on the tarmac and pumped his fist several times before boarding the presidential helicopter for a meeting at the Imperial Palace.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was part of the visiting delegation, told reporters that the general framework of the agreement with South Korea had also been set but would not be finalized this week.
Trump has already received an investment promise of $550 billion from Tokyo in exchange for a reprieve from imposing import tariffs.
Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes to further impress Trump with promises to buy American pickup trucks, soybeans and gasoline at a summit on Tuesday.
Takaichi, who last week became Japan's first female prime minister, told Trump in their first phone call on Saturday that strengthening their countries' alliance was her “top priority.”
Trump said he was looking forward to meeting Takaichi, a close ally of his late friend and golf partner, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, adding: “I think she'll be great.”
Thousands of police are guarding Japan's capital in anticipation of Trump's arrival as tensions rise following Friday's arrest of a knife-wielding man outside the US embassy and plans for an anti-Trump protest in central Shinjuku.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Japanese counterpart Ryosei Akazawa, authors of the tariff agreement agreed in July, are set to hold a working lunch on Monday.
Bessent, who is traveling with Trump along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is expected to meet his new colleague Satsuki Katayama for the first time.
