Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will cautiously try to convince Donald Trump to treat Tokyo better than other allies Friday when he becomes the second foreign leader to meet the US president since his return to power.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will go to the White House to try to rekindle Japan’s relationship with President Donald Trump — and to fend off potential tariffs.

For Japan, the aim is to underscore the rock-solid nature of the relationship and receive clear assurances of the countries’ shared military alliance, while attempting to establish a personal connection between the golf-obsessed Trump and model train enthusiast Ishiba.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba heads to the United States on Thursday ahead of what will be President Donald Trump's second summit with a foreign leader since his return to the White House. Japan is one of the closest allies of the United States in Asia with around 54,

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will likely proceed cautiously in his first meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday as he seeks to avoid economic fallout from tariffs and reaffirm his country’s security alliance with the US.

When Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, his goal, according to Japanese officials, will be straightforward: reaffirm the U.S.-Japan alliance and build a strong rapport with Trump.

Days after Donald Trump's 2016 election victory, Japan's then-prime minister Shinzo Abe rushed to deliver him a gold-plated golf club, becoming the first leader to visit and setting the tone