Trump predicts China trade deal will end in days as Asia tour continues in Japan

President Trump arrived in Japan on Monday, where new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is committed to building a friendly personal relationship with the American leader to ease trade tensions.

Trump’s Asian tour, which began at the weekend, focuses largely on trade ties and, speaking to reporters as he flew to the Japanese capital, he predicted a US-China trade deal would be signed before returning to Washington.

But first, the meeting with Takaichi will be an early diplomatic test for Japan’s first female leader. She took office just last week and has a fragile coalition behind her.

During the flight to Tokyo, he returned to the press box on Air Force One, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. He said he would speak about the “great friendship” between the United States and Japan during his visit.

“I hear phenomenal things” about Takaichi, Trump said, noting his closeness to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump had a good relationship during his first term.

“It’s going to be very good,” he said. “That really helps Japan and the United States.”

Trump’s only scheduled event for the Monday after his arrival was a meeting at the Imperial Palace with Emperor Naruhito, Japan’s ceremonial head of state. The emperor smiled and waved as Trump’s limousine pulled up to the palace.

They shook hands and exchanged jokes before smiling for a photo together and then entered the palace for a roughly half-hour meeting that the White House described as a “courtesy call.”

The American leader spent Sunday in Malaysia, participating in a regional summit of Southeast Asian nations where he reached preliminary trade agreements with Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Trump says he expects trade deal with China to close this week

Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he hoped to reach a trade deal with China in the coming days.

Officials from the world’s two largest economies said Sunday that reached an initial consensus that Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will try to finalize during a high-stakes meeting later in the week.

“I have a lot of respect for President Xi,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “I think we’re going to get a deal,” Trump said.

Bessent too said Sunday on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that a TikTok deal announced last month was due to be finalized Thursday during the Trump-Xi meeting.

After his visit to Japan, Trump will end his Asian tour in South Korea, where he is expected to meet with Xi on the sidelines of a Pacific Rim summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Trump renews his willingness to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

Trump also said he would be willing to extend his trip to Asia if he had the chance to speak with reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Kim. Since South Korea is the president’s last stop before returning to the United States, “it’s pretty easy to do,” he told reporters on Air Force One.

Trump’s overtures to reconnect with Kim have gone unanswered.

“If you want to meet, I’ll be in South Korea,” Trump said.

Trump rules out running for US vice president

In other matters, Trump rejected the possibility of running for vice president as a way to return to the presidency, saying, “I would be allowed to do it,” but “I wouldn’t do that.”

“I think it’s too cute. Yeah, I would rule it out because it’s too cute,” Trump said. “I don’t think people would like that. It’s too cute. It’s not… it wouldn’t be right.”

Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, has repeatedly said the president could serve a third term despite a constitutional ban. Trump himself has flirted with the idea.

On Air Force One, Trump said, “I haven’t really thought about that.”

He praised Rubio and Vice President JD Vance as potential future Republican candidates. “I’m not sure if anyone would run against those two. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable,” he said.

South China Sea, Taiwan and tariffs

There is no shortage of security problems in the region, including access to South China Sea and the future of Taiwan. But Trump’s focus has certainly been on trade and his desire to realign the international economy on his “America First” vision.

For the most part, that means tariffs, or at least the threat of them. Trump has frequently used taxes on imports (from both allies and adversaries) in an effort to boost domestic manufacturing or seek more favorable terms.

However, its unilateral power to enact tariffs remains in question. The president is awaiting a Supreme Court decision in a case that could solidify his authority or limit it.

The president flew to Tokyo from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he attended the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Participated in an expanded contract signing ceremony ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodiawho fought earlier this year. Trump helped pressure both countries to stop by threatening to suspend trade deals.