Takaichi’s first test The US and Japan on the threshold of a “new” Asia

U.S. President Donald Trump and Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed an agreement in Tokyo on cooperation in the field of rare earth metals, marking the beginning of a “golden era” in bilateral relations. The document aims to reduce U.S. dependence on China, which dominates the market for strategic minerals essential for modern electronics and military technologies. In the coming months, both sides will identify priority projects — from the production of batteries and magnets to the creation of reserves of critically important elements.

Trump arrived in Japan as part of his Asian tour, the highlight of which is expected to be a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Washington hopes for progress in resolving trade disputes between the world’s two largest economies.

Alongside the economic agreements, the U.S. introduced 15% tariffs on most Japanese imports — lower than the previously imposed 25%. In response, Tokyo agreed to invest about $550 billion in the American economy and to increase purchases of U.S. goods, including automotive, agricultural, and energy products.

Analysts note that the deal is mutually beneficial: Trump secures new investments and domestic political dividends, while Takaichi gains an opportunity to strengthen the alliance with Washington and raise her international standing. For the prime minister — who has only recently taken office and become the first woman to lead the Japanese government — this meeting served as an important test of leadership.

Even before the talks, Takaichi emphasised her readiness to increase Japan’s defence spending to 2% of GDP, a move aimed at pre-empting possible U.S. demands for greater military activity by Tokyo amid the much-discussed “China threat.”

Following the official part of the visit, Trump met with the families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1960s and 1970s. The day concluded with a visit to the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, where the president addressed service members, noting that “Born out of the ashes of a terrible war, our bond has grown over eight decades into the beautiful friendship that we have.”

Despite the warm reception and productive meeting between Trump and Takaichi, experts remind that the interests of the allies do not always align. Commentators note that Japan, having recovered from the devastation of World War II, has become one of the world’s largest economies and is increasingly demonstrating strategic independence. The country’s Self-Defence Forces have long gone beyond purely defensive functions: Japan’s helicopter destroyers are capable of accommodating F-35 fighter jets, effectively serving as aircraft carriers, while its missile and other advanced programmes continue to expand.

In the field of high technology, Japan is gradually reducing its dependence on American developments — a trend that, according to observers, is causing unease in Washington. Against this backdrop, U.S. analytical circles have begun reassessing their traditional priorities. Although Washington still views China and Russia as its main challenges, Japan is increasingly being mentioned in strategic planning as a potentially independent power capable of acting beyond the framework of U.S. policy.

For this reason, and amid growing concerns over the rapprochement between Moscow, Beijing, and Pyongyang, the United States is considering the creation of a new Asian military bloc with the participation of Japan and South Korea. And while Trump appears to have embraced Tokyo tightly, the White House will be watching closely to see where Japanese policy is heading — and whether the day is approaching when one can speak of a second Japanese miracle, this time a military one.