Washington: US President Donald Trump 'values' talks with Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Monday as the two allies negotiate a new trade agreement amid tariff threats from Washington.

According to Anadolu Agency, Ishiba emphasized Trump's engagement, stating that the president's involvement indicates his commitment to decision-making through leadership. Ishiba was addressing lawmakers in the Budget Committee, responding to inquiries about Trump's recent meeting with Akazawa Ryosei, Japan's economic revitalization minister, who visited the White House last Wednesday for trade negotiations.

Ryosei was the first foreign trade negotiator hosted by Trump following the president's announcement of a 90-day reprieve for all countries, except China, to negotiate tariff agreements with the US. Although the discussions did not yield a significant breakthrough, Ryosei noted that the US aims to finalize a deal within the 90-day timeframe, warning that Japan could face tariffs as high as 24% on its exports to the US if negotiations do not succeed.

Currently, a 10% baseline tariff is in effect. Additionally, Tokyo is under pressure from the Trump administration to increase its financial contribution to sustaining over 50,000 US troops stationed in Japan. Despite this, Ishiba asserted that his government would not conflate discussions on security with trade talks.

'I don't think it is appropriate to discuss security and trade together. We should address security issues without linking them to tariffs,' Ishiba remarked on Sunday. Following his interaction with Ryosei, Trump indicated that both sides had made considerable progress toward avoiding significant tariffs.

In a brief social media post after the discussions, Trump expressed his satisfaction, stating, "A Great Honor to have just met with the Japanese Delegation on Trade. Big Progress!" Prior to the meeting, Trump had mentioned his intent to personally address US military support for Japan in conjunction with "trade fairness."