Both Admired and Resented by Trump, Japan Scrambles to Stay Close

This month in the White House’s Rose Garden, as he held up a placard showing the global wave of tariffs he wanted to impose, President Trump paused to fondly recall a fallen friend.“The prime minister of Japan, Shinzo, was — Shinzo Abe — he was a fantastic man,” Mr.Trump said during the tariff announcement on April 2.

“He was, unfortunately, taken from us, assassination.”The words of praise for Mr.Abe, who was gunned down three years ago during a campaign speech, did not stop Mr.

Trump from slapping a 24 percent tariff on products imported from Japan.But they were unusual, nonetheless, coming from a president who has had few nice things to say these days about other allies, particularly Canada and Europe.Now, Japan will be one of the first countries allowed to bargain for a possible reprieve from Mr.

Trump’s sweeping tariffs, many of which he has put on hold for 90 days.On Thursday, a negotiator handpicked by Japan’s current prime minister is scheduled to begin talks in Washington with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others.Japan’s place at the front of the line reflects the different approach that Mr.

Trump has taken toward the nation.While the president still accuses it of unfair trade policies and an unequal security relationship, he also praises it in the same breath as a close ally, an ancient culture and a savvy negotiator.“I love Japan,” Mr.

Trump told reporters last month.“But we have an interesting deal with Japan where we have to protect them but they don’t have to protect us,” referring to the security treaty that bases 50,000 U.S.

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