Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit the United States from the 6th to the 8th for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Japanese government officially announced on the 4th.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi noted during a regular press conference on the same day, "Prime Minister Ishiba will hold his first summit with President Trump in Washington, D.C.," adding, "This will strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance further and solidify the trust relationship."
However, regarding the specifics of the meeting schedule or a joint press conference, he avoided mention, saying, "Currently in coordination."
During the summit, security and economic cooperation, as well as the North Korean issue, are expected to be key agenda items. Minister Hayashi assessed that "it is important to work closely with the United States" regarding the issue of Japanese abductions, stating, "It was a significant achievement that President Trump raised the abduction issue during the North Korea-U.S. summit in his first term."
Meanwhile, Kyodo News reported that the Japanese government is coordinating with the U.S. on including in the joint statement to be announced during the summit on the 7th, the content of "the unwavering involvement of the United States in Japan's defense."