Next to Come Calling for Trump: Japanese PM Ishiba

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is preparing for his inaugural meeting with President Trump. This diplomatic engagement aims to strengthen US-Japan relations amid challenges from China's economic influence and North Korea's nuclear threats. Ishiba, who assumed office in October, is the second world leader to visit Trump in his current term, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit underscores the significance of maintaining robust US-Japan ties, especially with Trump's "America First" policy impacting global diplomacy.

In preparation, Ishiba consulted with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and predecessor Fumio Kishida. He also sought insights from the widow of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had a strong rapport with Trump in the past. "I would like to focus on building a personal relationship of trust between the two of us," said Ishiba prior to his Washington trip. The agenda includes a working lunch and a joint news conference with Trump. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)