United States President Donald Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday as part of a broader Asia tour that will culminate in a highly anticipated summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week in South Korea. The visit marks Trump’s first trip to Japan since returning to office and comes amid renewed US efforts to reshape Asia’s trade and security architecture.

Strengthening economic leverage

According to Reuters, the US president is expected to press Japan for greater market access for American goods, particularly in agriculture, energy, and manufacturing. Negotiations are reportedly centered on a package that could see Japan commit up to $550 billion in new investments across US industries, in exchange for reduced tariffs and expanded trade privileges.

The deal reflects Washington’s ongoing use of economic pressure to secure political and strategic alignment from allies in the region. Tokyo’s willingness to make such a large commitment underscores the Japanese government’s desire to preserve stable ties with the US.

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Security cooperation and military buildup

Trump is also expected to meet Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female leader, to discuss strengthening defense coordination. Takaichi has vowed to accelerate Japan’s military expansion, describing it as the nation’s largest defense buildup since World War II.

Both sides are expected to reaffirm their joint deterrence posture in the Asia-Pacific, particularly in light of what Washington describes as “growing coercion” from China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The US–Japan security agenda also includes discussions on advanced missile systems, maritime surveillance cooperation, and broader Indo-Pacific defense initiatives.

Preparing for the Xi summit

Trump’s Tokyo stop serves as a strategic prelude to his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Seoul. The summit is expected to focus on avoiding renewed escalation in the US–China trade war, with discussions covering tariffs, semiconductor exports, rare earth supply chains, and the regulation of fentanyl precursors.

Washington is framing the Tokyo visit as a bid to consolidate alliances before engaging Beijing, reinforcing a US-led security and trade bloc in East Asia. In turn, Chinese officials have indicated that the Xi-Trump summit will aim to “stabilize relations” rather than deliver major breakthroughs.

Read more: China, US move closer to trade understanding ahead of leaders' meeting