Ishiba will also look to remind Trump — who has proposed tariffs on both friends and foes in an effort to boost American manufacturing — about the long-running U.S.-Japan alliance. Japanese companies employ nearly 1 million Americans and have held the top spot for cumulative foreign direct investment into the U.S. over the last five years.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets President Trump to establish a personal connection, seeking advice from key figures ahead of their talks.

"We love Japan!" Trump said as he greeted Ishiba and the two shook hands. Trump later told reporters at they sat together in the Oval Office that the two countries would work together to get U.S. trade deficit with Japan down to "even.