Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, a senior figure in Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, met with Donald Trump on Tuesday evening at Trump Tower in Manhattan. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, was part of a series of efforts by US allies to establish ties with the Republican presidential candidate ahead of the November 5 election.
Aso, 83, is currently the vice-president of the Liberal Democratic Party and served as deputy prime minister under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who formed a close bond with Trump during his presidency. Aso has decades of experience in Japanese politics and has played a key role in shaping US-Japan ties.
During the meeting, Trump praised Aso as a “highly respected man in Japan and beyond” and someone he “liked and known through our very dear friend Shinzo.” Aso’s visit to Trump Tower comes amid concerns in Japan that Trump, if elected, could resurrect protectionist trade measures or take other steps that could hurt the Japanese economy or impact strong defense ties with the US.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump complained about the US dollar reaching a new high against the Japanese yen, calling it “a total disaster for the United States.” He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he had spent “a good deal of time telling Japan and China, in particular, you can’t do that.” The US dollar is currently trading at above 150 yen, up from 130 yen a year ago, making it more costly for Japan to import goods but boosting exports.
Aso’s meeting with Trump occurred about two weeks after US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled plans for military cooperation and an array of projects aimed at strengthening the US-Japan alliance. The meeting marks the latest effort by foreign countries to shore up ties with Trump as polls show an extremely close rematch between him and Biden.
