The U.S.-Japan summit on February 7 marked the first meeting since the inauguration of the Ishiba Cabinet and the second Trump administration. Contrary to concerns about potential unpredictability, the summit proceeded without any unexpected remarks or incidents and received generally positive evaluations. The United States reaffirmed its deterrence commitment to Japan, and both countries affirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation. Japan pledged to boost its investment in the United States and increase its defense budget. The contentious issue regarding Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel was also defused for the time being by framing the sale from an acquisition to an investment strategy.

While it remains uncertain how faithfully the pledges made at the Ishiba-Trump summit will be upheld, several key factors contributed to the summit’s smooth conclusion without major issues: (1) there is a bipartisan consensus on Japan’s cooperation with the United States and the overall direction of U.S.-Japan relations despite domestic instability stemming from Japan’s minority government led by the Liberal Democratic Party, which it has fewer seats than all the other parties combined in Japan’s parliament; (2) both countries share common strategic objectives of balancing against China, which transcend the personal rapport or individual characteristics of the leaders; and (3) Japan’s longstanding diplomatic experience and established networks with the United States played a crucial role. Although former Prime Minister Abe is no longer on the scene, many officials and key figures who built close ties and played significant roles during the first Trump administration continue to serve, representing a lasting legacy of Abe’s diplomacy.

This article is an English Summary of Asan Issue Brief (2025-08).

(‘이시바-트럼프 정상회담(2025.2.7)을 통해 본 일본의 대미외교와 한국에의 함의’)