Photo/Illutration U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 16. (Reuters)

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump told reporters on Dec. 16 at a news conference that he would like to meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, possibly ahead of his inauguration in January. 

Trump also mentioned at the news conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida that he had passed along a book and a memento for Ishiba through Akie Abe, widow of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Trump and his wife, Melania, met Akie at the residence where they also dined the day before on Dec. 15.

Asked if he would meet with Ishiba before the inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 next year, Trump said it is possible if Ishiba desires.

Trump also told reporters that he had “great respect for the (Japanese prime minister’s) position,” indicating his positive attitude toward arranging the meeting.

Ishiba had previously sought a meeting with Trump after his November visit to South America, but Trump’s camp had turned it down.

Trump also said that Akie “was very close with our first lady, with Melania,” and shared how her visit was arranged—Akie called and asked “if it would be possible to have dinner.”

He again referred to Shinzo Abe, who was killed in a shooting in 2022, as “a great man.”

According to major U.S. TV network CBS, Trump is considering appointing George Glass—a businessman and former ambassador to Portugal—as the next ambassador to Japan.

Trump called Glass a “highly respected man,” and highly evaluated him, saying, “He’s been an ambassador before, did a fantastic job.”

Although Trump did not clearly state if Glass was his final choice, he told reporters that, “We consider Japan very important.”

Regarding Trump’s positive attitude on meeting with Ishiba in advance, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters at a news conference on the morning of Dec. 17 that, “We welcome his positive remark emphasizing the importance of Japan. We would like to communicate with the next administration.”

“We hope to hold the meeting at a convenient time for both sides, take time to exchange views and build a personal relationship,” Hayashi said on Trump being open to a pre-inauguration meeting.

He did not specify the timing of when such a meeting would take place. 

(This article was written by Ryo Kiyomiya, Washington correspondent, and Kohei Morioka.)

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