Trump lauds Japan’s ‘great’ female leader, inks rare earths deal

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TOKYO: US President Donald Trump lavished praise on Japan’s first female leader Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday (Oct 28), welcoming her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signing deals on trade and rare earths.

Both governments released a list of projects in the areas of energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals in which Japanese companies are eyeing investments of up to US$400 billion.

Tokyo pledged to provide US$550 billion of strategic US investments, loans and guarantees earlier this year as part of a deal to win reprieve from Trump’s punishing import tariffs.

Japanese companies on the list of possible future investors included Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Softbank, Hitachi, Murata Manufacturing and Panasonic, among others.

Japanese carmaker Toyota would also open auto plants in the United States to the tune of US$10 billion, Trump said.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/us-trump-japan-takaichi-trade-security-5428521