Japan Rushing to Build Ties with Trump

Tokyo, Nov. 6 (Jiji Press)--After Republican candidate Donald Trump declared his victory in Tuesday's U.S. presidential election, the Japanese government is rushing to build a relationship of trust between him and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Although Tokyo believes that the U.S. government will maintain its current policy of strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance, it is wary that Washington may make more demands to Japan on the security front.

Congratulating Trump on his return to power, Ishiba on Wednesday told reporters, "I hope to take the Japan-U.S. alliance to a higher level."

He added that he will "make efforts" to contact Trump as soon as possible, voicing his wish to hold a summit early.

Ishiba sent a congratulatory message to Trump expressing his desire to "work closely together" to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya sent a similar message to JD Vance, Trump's running mate.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]