According to U.S. media reports, President Donald Trump arrived in Japan on Monday, and the new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, hopes to ease trade tensions by building a friendly personal relationship with the U.S. leader.

A key part of this strategy may involve the Japanese government's idea of purchasing a batch of Ford F-150 trucks, an act that is symbolic but may also be impractical given the narrow streets in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. For Takaichi, this is an early diplomatic test; she is Japan's first female prime minister. She was sworn in just last week and relies on a fragile coalition government for support.

Trump immediately accepted the idea of buying Ford trucks when he flew to Asia on Air Force One. "She has good taste," Trump told reporters, "It's a hot truck." The two spoke on the phone during Trump's flight on Saturday.

Takaichi emphasized that she is a disciple of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was a favorite of Trump during his first term, and said she praised him for facilitating the Gaza ceasefire agreement that led to the release of hostages. "I think (Trump) is a very open and interesting person," she said. "He recognized me and said he remembered me as a political figure very concerned about by Prime Minister Abe," she said. "I also told the president that I look forward very much to welcoming him in Tokyo."

Beneath this hospitality is the search for a strategy to deal with the increasingly complex trade relations that were disrupted earlier this year by tariffs. Trump wants allies to buy more American products while investing in factories and energy infrastructure in the United States.

Japanese officials are considering purchasing more American soybeans, liquefied natural gas, and cars. For Trump, seeing a Ford truck on the streets between Tokyo skyscrapers would be a victory.

The U.S. government has long complained that the market dominated by companies such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, and Subaru has excluded American cars. In September, when speaking to CNBC, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that Japan would not buy American car brands because "Chevrolets" are popular among Japanese yakuza.

According to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, Takaichi may arrange for the Ford F-150 trucks to be displayed in locations where Trump can see them. The government is considering importing these trucks for use by the Ministry of Transport for road and infrastructure inspections, although there are concerns that the F-150 could cause traffic jams on Japan's narrow streets. A Ford spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Japanese media reported that Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda may announce plans to re-import cars made in the U.S. back to Japan at a dinner on Wednesday with Trump and other business leaders. These moves - along with Takaichi's relationship with Abe - should help her deal with Trump, who seems to favor her. "I think she will do very well," Trump said on Air Force One. "She is a good friend of Mr. Abe, and Mr. Abe is a great man."

In 2016, Abe gave Trump a high-end golf club to celebrate his first election, and the two leaders established a connection through golf. Trump often expressed sadness over Abe's assassination in 2022. However, when emphasizing her relationship with Abe, Takaichi also faces risks, said Rintaro Nishimura, a specialist in Japanese affairs at the Japanese consulting firm The Asia Group. "Because this is Takaichi's first diplomatic interaction, I think she wants to start it in an outstanding way," Nishimura said. "The wording of inheriting Abe's approach will undoubtedly be part of this interaction, although some have also suggested that relying too heavily on Abe's approach may not be conducive to her establishing her own political base and her position as a Japanese leader."

Trump will arrive in Tokyo on Monday, first meeting Emperor Naruhito of Japan. After meeting Takaichi on Tuesday, he will give a speech on the USS George Washington aircraft carrier docked in Japan, then have dinner with business leaders. Trump plans to go to South Korea on Wednesday.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847081715279884/

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