Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba said on Tuesday that he wants to strengthen his country’s alliance with the United States. He is insisting on arranging a meeting with US President Donald Trump as soon as possible.
Japan neighbors an increasingly aggressive China and a nuclear-armed North Korea. North Korea is deepening military ties with Russia.
“I think it’s important to strengthen the US-Japan alliance… and share a common understanding of the situation in Northeast Asia,” he said at a news conference. He also said that no date has been set yet for the possible meeting.
In October, the incumbent Ishiba sought a meeting with Trump. But he told reporters last month that Trump had been told he was barred from meeting with world leaders under the Logan Act before the new president’s inauguration in January.
Trump met with Aki Abe, widow of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Ishiba also said his cabinet plans to approve a draft state budget for the next fiscal year from April on December 27.
He pledged to work to address public concerns about raising the minimum wage and increasing private spending in the future