He's keen to make a mark in Asia.
But the visit to Trump in Washington Friday by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shows signs of fostering Trump's closest and strategically significant relationship in the region.
That's because the two are team up to resist China’s expansion.
The U.S. government needs Japan more than ever to buffer China’s expansion in Asia as Trump keeps a leery eye on Beijing over trade and Chinese maritime expansion off its south coast.
Japan has its own beefs with China and needs the U.S. market, which isn’t something Trump is keen to give away per his America-first campaign pledges.
The country with a developed export-dependent economy also wants to be top dog in Asia, helping less developed parts with infrastructure in exchange for opening markets and doors for factory investment.
China’s doing much of the same.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and
US President Donald Trump speak at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm
Beach, Florida, on Feb. 11, 2017
Trump's secretary of state has angered Beijing by saying the United States should block it from artificial islands in the South China Sea.
Sino-U.S. trade policy is strained as well following Trump's "currency manipulator" campaign against the Chinese economy, No. 2 in the world.
The comments also came as relief for Abe, who wasn't sure how to read some of Trump's earlier harsh words about Japan's market access to outsiders followed by an upbeat call Feb. 9 to Xi Jinping.
The long-time American ally has the military might -- world No. 7 per rankings by the database GlobalFirePower.com -- to be a persuasive player in Asia.
China ranks third and has militarized disputed islets off its coats.
Japan has the economic clout, too.
It gives development aid and investment to poor countries in Asia in part to maintain a pro-American, anti-China alliance.
Other allies include Vietnam and the Philippines.
The United States, however, has other things to do -- back to that America-first element of Trump’s nearly month-old presidency.
It might lean on Japan to do some of its China checks.
“For what’s going on in Asia, the U.S. is not going to be as large of a presence,” says Christian de Guzman, vice president and senior credit officer with Moody’s in Singapore.
“There may be a desire for Japan to fill that void.”
Otherwise China might fill it, he adds.
“China has promised a large pool of investment for the Philippines. Then the Chinese government turned around and promised a similar package for Malaysia. They are trying to gain influence through investment.”
After Chinese ally North Korea test fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Sunday, both Japan and the United States protested.
Trump gave Tokyo another boost by reassuring Japan that the uninhabited but strategic Japan's Senkaku Islands coveted by Beijing fall under a U.S.-Japan security treaty.
Defense collaboration will intensify, says John Vail, chief global strategist with Japan-based Nikko Asset Management.
The two sides share several geopolitical concerns, he adds.
Japan is expected to get something for keeping checks on China.
With such close ties, even a protectionist U.S. president such as Trump would find it hard to make Japan leave the American market.
That fate would hurt major Japanese exporters such as Panasonic and Toyota.
China and the United States are Japan’s top export markets, each worth well over $100 billion in recent years.
"The scope for Japan’s help in further reindustrializing the U.S. is immense,” Vail says.
Trump wants to bring overseas factory work onshore to increase the number of American jobs.
“Although President Trump has tough views on Japan, the meetings over the weekend helped to develop a foundation for future negotiations,” says Kohei Iwahara, economist with Natixis Japan Securities.
“At least they didn’t ruin the future climate of Japan’s economy and investment for now."
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