Photo/Illutration Prime Minsiter Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters on Nov. 16 in Lima, Peru. (Naoko Kawamura)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba suffered an embarrassing diplomatic setback when he failed to secure a coveted early meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Ishiba, whose ruling party lost its majority in a recent general election, had expressed expectations of a face-to-face meeting with Trump.

An early meetup seemed possible as Ishiba planned to travel to South America for international conferences and could have stopped in the United States on the return trip back to Japan.

But Ishiba's hopes were dashed by the president-elect, who has been busy making selections for his Cabinet and administration. 

"I have been informed that Mr. Trump will not be meeting with any world leaders for the time being," Ishiba said on Nov. 16 in Lima, Peru.

Ishiba’s pursuit of an early meeting was initially seen as a key diplomatic opportunity, with government officials drawing inspiration from the success of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In 2016, following Trump’s election, Abe quickly flew to New York to meet with the president-elect, establishing a close relationship that would help shape Japan-U.S. ties under the new administration.

Japanese officials had initially felt optimistic about a similar meeting between Ishiba and Trump.

According to government sources, Ishiba proposed potential dates for the meeting during a phone call to Trump on Nov. 7, immediately after Trump declared victory in the presidential race.

Trump reportedly responded positively. Although the phone call lasted only five minutes, the exchange raised high expectations within Japan’s government.

An aide to Ishiba remarked, "The meeting will happen unless something unexpected occurs," while a Foreign Ministry official described the response from the Trump side as "full confirmation."

However, as Trump became occupied with selecting nominees for his new Cabinet and choosing staff, the prospects for an early meeting began to fade.

On Nov. 14, as Ishiba was preparing for his overseas trip to South America, he received word from Trump’s team that the proposed meeting had become increasingly unlikely.

In the aftermath of the announcement, officials close to the prime minister sought to downplay the situation, saying that “there is no need to rush. Even if the meeting were to happen, it is uncertain what outcomes would have emerged.”

However, a senior member of Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party, an expert on foreign affairs, criticized Ishiba’s overt optimism, stating, “The prime minister lacks diplomatic judgment. He was overly optimistic in taking casual remarks in a five-minute phone conversation as a solid commitment to a meeting. He raised the stakes too high himself.”

The government is now focused on rescheduling a potential meeting with Trump after his inauguration on Jan. 20. 

However, the timing of this meeting will likely conflict with the upcoming ordinary Diet session, which is expected to see intense debates over budget and other key bills in a hung parliament.

(This article was written by Shino Matsuyama in Lima and Taro Kotegawa in Tokyo.)

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