00:00U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister
00:06Takaichi Sanae greet each other in Tokyo's Akasaka Palace.
00:10For Takaichi, today is one of the first tests of her leadership.
00:15Japanese goods are subject to a 15% U.S. tariff rate,
00:19and the country's had to invest $550 billion U.S. dollars in the U.S.
00:24But Washington wants more,
00:25greater access to the Japanese market for vehicles and agricultural goods.
00:30Still, Japan, with nearby rivals and hostile neighbors,
00:33has its own security interests to look after.
00:36And besides, the U.S. and Japan are working out a new tariff deal
00:39that might be more favorable to Tokyo.
00:42Japanese firms may even make inroads into the U.S.
00:44with all the Japanese investment going there.
00:47It was a meeting filled with warm words,
00:49with both sides placing high hopes on what's next in U.S.-Japan relations.
00:55Through these efforts with you, Mr. President,
00:57I hope we can build a new golden age of the Japan-U.S. alliance,
01:02where both Japan and the United States will become stronger and also more prosperous.
01:07The two leaders signed two documents,
01:10one on bringing about a golden age in U.S.-Japan ties,
01:13and another on working together to secure rare earth minerals,
01:17as Washington works to reduce its reliance on China
01:20by diversifying its supply of critical minerals.
01:23Trump has much to be pleased about besides all the Japanese investment.
01:27Takaichi's government will raise military spending to 2% of GDP early,
01:32meeting Trump's expectation that U.S. allies
01:35take more responsibility for their own defense.
01:38He praised Takaichi and pledged any U.S. help Japan may need.
01:43Our country, I want to just let you know,
01:45any time you have any question, any doubt,
01:47anything you want, any favors you need,
01:50anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there.
01:53We are an ally at the strongest level.
01:57Takaichi and Trump also talked baseball.
01:59They spoke about Takaichi's mentor and Trump's friend,
02:02the late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
02:05And Takaichi said new cherry blossom trees and a Japanese fireworks show
02:09are coming to Washington next year to mark 250 years of U.S. independence.
02:14As Trump prepares to head to South Korea for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping,
02:18he leaves Japan with assurances that, despite trade frictions,
02:23the U.S.-Japan alliance will thrive.
02:25Ryan Wu and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
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