US-JAPAN: Trade Min To Visit US 9-11 Mar As Trump Questions Bilat Security Deal

The Japanese Trade Ministry has confirmed that Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoji Muto will visit the US from 9-11 March for discussions on bilateral economic ties with senior officials, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Last week, Muto met with senior representatives from Japan's steel and aluminium industry to discuss the prospect of higher tariffs being imposed on Japanese exports to the US. Kyodo News reported "Muto plans to directly convey concerns from Japan's industry to the United States, though it remains uncertain whether he will secure the administration's understanding."

• The announcement of the minister's visit comes hours after US President Donald Trump appeared to criticise the 1960 bilateral security alliance between the two countries. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said, "[...] we have an interesting deal with Japan that we have to protect them, but they don't have to protect us. That's the way the deal reads...and by the way, they make a fortune with us economically. I actually ask who makes these deals?"
• The Japanese gov't has sought to Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said in a press conference on 7 March that "We have full confidence that the United States will fulfill its obligations under the Japan-U.S. security treaty by using all available capabilities, including nuclear ones,". Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said, without reference to Trump's comments, that Japan is "working to fundamentally strengthen" its defence capabilities and raise defence spending to 2% of GDP by FY2027.