Share and Follow
During a visit to the USS George Washington at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan on Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced to U.S. troops that the initial shipment of missiles for Japan’s F-35 fighter jets is set to arrive this week. This indicates that the U.S. is ahead of schedule with its defense shipments to Tokyo.
Trump’s remarks were part of an hour-long speech to the sailors, coinciding with his broader tour of Asia. Before visiting Japan, he stopped in Malaysia and met with Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister. During this visit, he also signed a new U.S.-Japan framework agreement focusing on rare earth minerals. Later in the week, Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The U.S. has sanctioned several significant arms deals with Japan, including the sale of advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X air-to-air missiles intended for the F-35 aircraft.
President Trump, alongside Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, addressed military personnel aboard the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier stationed at the American naval base in Yokosuka on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Trump commended the partnership between the U.S. and Japan, describing it as “one of the most remarkable relationships in the entire world.”
President Donald Trump speaks to members of the military aboard the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier docked at an American naval base, in Yokosuka, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Prime Minister Takaichi, sharing the stage with Trump, said Japan was “committed to fundamentally reinforcing its defense capability” and “ready to contribute even more proactively to peace and stability in the region.”
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the members of the military aboard the USS George Washington at the U.S. Navy’s Yokosuka base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Trump also touted Japan’s and the U.S.’ stock markets reaching record highs, saying it was a sign that “we’re doing something right.”
Trump’s appearance underscored Washington’s deepening security cooperation with Tokyo as regional tensions with China and North Korea persist. Ahead of his Asia trip this week, Trump has made repeated invitations to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though no concrete preparations are underway.
