U.S. President Donald Trump began the Japan leg of his five-day Asia trip with a "royal welcome" on Monday, aiming to cap the journey with a trade war truce agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday.
Trump, making his longest trip abroad, expressed optimism for a deal, stating, "I've got a lot of respect for President Xi and I think we're going to come away with a deal."
The optimism follows news that U.S. and Chinese negotiators hashed out a framework for a deal on Sunday, which would pause steeper U.S. tariffs and Chinese rare earths export controls, sending Asian stocks soaring.
In Japan, Trump met Emperor Naruhito after a scenic tour of Tokyo. He has already secured a $550-billion investment pledge from Tokyo. Japan's newly elected Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, is looking to solidify the alliance and reportedly plans to announce agreements on purchasing U.S. goods, including pickup trucks, soybeans, gas, and shipbuilding.
Takaichi, Japan's first female premier, emphasized that strengthening the alliance is her "top priority."
The trip is taking place under tight security in Tokyo, with thousands of police deployed and an anti-Trump protest planned.
