A Japanese American who served in the first Trump transition team says Japan’s PM should be ‘strong’ in his dealings with the US president.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday he wants to work closely with new U.S. President Donald Trump to elevate the long

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Taking a "Japan First" mindset is vital for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to build meaningful ties with Donald Trump, according to a former policy adviser to the U.S. president, whose second term is likely to see alliances rattled and a return of protectionist policies.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday that he aims to build a relationship of trust with Donald Trump, who has been sworn in as the 47th president of the United

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun a tour of Malaysia and Indonesia as part of his effort to further strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asia as threats from China rise i

We will do our best to communicate (the attractions of) not only Osaka but also Japan as a whole to the world,' Ishiba also said.

Japan positions itself as a key regional stabilizer amid growing security concerns, potential U.S. diplomatic shifts, analysts said.

Dr Taizo Miyagi of Chuo University told The Straits Times that while the relationship that Japan has built with Asean since the end of World War II has been a “great asset for its diplomacy”, Japan’s presence in the region has inevitably weakened relative to China’s.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba congratulated Terumi Tanaka, co-chairperson of Nihon Hidankyo, and other members of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo on Jan.

The tour of the two Southeast Asian countries marks Ishiba's first overseas trip since taking office in October.

Analysts think Ishiba aims to leverage China’s influence for Japan’s gain, but some fear this could weaken the Washington-Tokyo alliance.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun a tour of Malaysia and Indonesia as part of his effort to further strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asia as threats from China rise in the region.