Japan PM to boost defence alliance with very friendly Trump [Video]

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Thursday he had agreed with US president-elect Donald Trump in a phone call to strengthen the nations’ alliance, after the tycoon’s victory sent defence-related shares surging.

Trump’s “America First” approach could mean less cash from Washington for security in the Asia-Pacific region, analysts say — with investors betting on Japan upgrading its own military capacities.

Key allies Japan and the United States are each other’s top foreign investors, and 54,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan, mostly in Okinawa east of Taiwan.

Ishiba, who took office just over a month ago, said he and Trump hoped to organise a face-to-face meeting “as soon as possible”, describing the president-elect as “very friendly”.

“He is the kind of person I will be able to talk to candidly,” Ishiba told reporters.

“I would like to hold active discussions on the strengthening of the Japan-US alliance from …