Japan PM Ishiba to Discuss Rule of Law with Trump

Politics

Tokyo, Feb. 3 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Monday that he plans to discuss with U.S. President Donald Trump about the rule of law at their upcoming summit.

"I will share with President Trump the concept of the rule of law, under which changes to the status quo by force are unacceptable," Ishiba told a parliamentary committee meeting to discuss the government's draft budget for fiscal 2025. He responded to a question by Katsuya Okada, former secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

The focus on the rule of law apparently reflects concerns about China. Tokyo and Washington are discussing holding the bilateral summit Friday.

"We will closely examine how the Trump administration's high tariff policy will affect global free trade," Ishiba said. He added that he will ask Trump to make the United States appropriately engaged in measures to combat global warming.

Also at the meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, Ishiba said that the government "must consider (restarting) nuclear plants whose safety has been confirmed to the maximum extent, in order to cover future electricity needs" in its next Strategic Energy Plan.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Jiji Press