Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters on Nov. 7 in his Tokyo office following a phone call with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump by telephone on Nov. 7 to congratulate him on his stunning victory.

During the five-minute phone call, Ishiba told reporters that they agreed to arrange a face-to-face meeting in the near future.

He said they also discussed plans to elevate the Japan-U.S. alliance to another level.

Ishiba told Trump he admired his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” noting how it resonated with voters.

Describing Trump’s manner, Ishiba said, “In one word, I felt he was very friendly.”

“I got the impression that he is someone with whom you can speak frankly, without the need for any decoration or pretense,” he added.

With Ishiba attending the Group of 20 meeting in Brazil from Nov. 18 to 19, it seems likely that he will have bilateral summit talks with Trump in the United States this month.

During the phone call, the two men did not discuss Japan’s defense spending or its financial contribution to the cost of maintaining a U.S. military presence in the country.

After his inauguration in January, Trump is expected to push Japan to increase both expenditures so as to reduce the burden on U.S. military spending in the region.

Ishiba did not elaborate beyond stating that these topics would be addressed in future talks.

“I would like to engage in active discussions about strengthening the bilateral alliance from various perspectives, including not just financial aspects but also in terms of equipment and operations,” he told reporters.

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