Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (left) speaks during a news conference with US President Donald Trump at the White House, in Washington DC, on February 7, 2025. Photo: VCG

US President Donald Trump and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first official meeting in Washington DC on Friday. Ishiba became the first Asian leader to do so in Trump's second term, according to the Washington Post. He is also Trump's first meeting with the leader of a key US ally in Asia.

At the joint press conference on Friday, Trump claimed he and Ishiba "agreed to cooperate even more closely to combat the Chinese economic aggression," the POLITICO reported. In the joint statement released by the two sides, they repeated their old tune by hyping up issues related to the East China Sea and the South China Sea, claiming the two leader's opposition to "any attempts by China to change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea."

Chinese experts believed that this prioritizes the US-Japan alliance over regional security and economic stability, and also demonstrates Japan's passivity in the alliance relationship. Sun Jiashen, an assistant researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Saturday that this move is primarily directed toward the Taiwan Straits and the East China Sea. 

The two leaders claimed that they would increase "bilateral presence in Japan's Southwest Islands," read the statement.

"Japan's maneuver, which aligns with the US' China containment strategy, ultimately restricts Japan's strategic autonomy," Sun noted.

After Ishiba became the Japanese prime minister, he has been trying to explore a diversified diplomatic approach, including improving relations with China and enhancing bilateral cooperation. Before his visit to the US, Ishiba had hinted his willingness to visit China as early as possible, Kyodo News reported on January 31. Regarding China-Japan relations, Ishiba was quoted by Nikkei Asia in December 2024 as saying that bilateral ties must remain stable.

Ishiba also pledged to enhance communication with China and comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefits between the two countries, the Xinhua News Agency reported on January 28.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi Moriyama, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party and Makoto Nishida, secretary-general of the Komeito Party of Japan led a delegation of the ruling parties of Japan to visit China in January, during which the two sides held the 9th meeting of China-Japan ruling parties exchange mechanism. Analysts believed these interactions have provided room for the improvement of China-Japan relations. 

Ishiba's visit to the US comes at a time when the world is still watching how Trump's foreign policy will unfold in his second term. The visit is both an attempt by Japan to navigate its position in the context of the China-US competition and a concession to Trump's transactional diplomacy, Sun said.

When meeting with Ishiba on Friday, Trump said he wants to slash the US trade deficit with Japan, AP reported. Trump also noted that "chronic" trade deficits harm the US economy and that he will not tolerate the deficit with Japan to stay as it is, according to Nikkei.

The Washington Post took it as a hint by Trump that "Japan could soon face US tariffs if it doesn't take steps to buy more from the US."

Coincidentally, Trump said on Friday that he plans to announce reciprocal tariffs on many countries by early next week.

Meanwhile, Trump pushed Japan to invest in US energy and technology. According to the POLITICO, Trump seemed appeased by Ishiba's announcement that his country would seek to invest another $1 trillion in the US, along with his agreement to help resolve the US Steel transaction to benefit both countries.

Sun told the Global Times that the US' attitude toward its ally Japan is also reflected in the deal of Japan's Nippon Steel acquiring US Steel. Trump in December said he was "totally against the once great and powerful US Steel being bought by a foreign company." On Friday when meeting with Ishiba, Trump announced that Nippon Steel was dropping its $14.1 billion acquisition of US Steel and would instead be making an "investment, rather than a purchase,"a move apparently fits into the pocket of the US.

Sun believes that although the two leaders affirmed their determination to pursue a "new golden age" for US-Japan relations, such an era remains distant.

Yang Zhen, a deputy director of Northeast Asia Research Center of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Saturday that Japan's military provocations against China are unlikely to succeed, and as China makes strides in emerging industries such as new energy and artificial intelligence, Japan will suffer from significant economic losses should it opt for confrontation with China.

Japan should adopt a pragmatic approach to promote dialogue between China and Japan, avoiding bloc-based conflicts. Only by adhering to open cooperation can Japan break the shackles of zero-sum games and pave new paths for stability in East Asia and globally, Yang said.