“Allies” sign agreement on rare earths. Takaichi listens to Trump’s demands, while proposing him for Nobel Peace Prize

Tokyo and Washington signed a cooperation agreement this Tuesday in the critical minerals and rare earths sector. Trump demands that Japan increase defense spending. Takaichi proposes the North American president for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

Under the terms of the agreement, signed in the capital of Japan by the country’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichiand by the North American President, Donald Trump, Tokyo and Washington will collaborate to identify projects of common interest to fill gaps in food supply chains rare earths, essential for the development of modern technology.

Rare earth elements, also known as rare earth metals, are a group of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table. They include the 15 lanthanides, in addition to scandium (²¹Sc) and yttrium (³⁹Y), which tend to occur in the same mineral deposits as lanthanides and have similar chemical properties.

These elements are essential in various technological applications and industrial due to their unique properties such as magnetism, luminescence and electrical resistance.

The two powers have now set a six-month deadline to “take steps to provide financial support to selected projects with the aim of generating a final product for delivery to buyers in the US and Japan and, where appropriate, in countries with similar interests”, according to the White House.

Trump and Takaichi signed the agreement after a summit at Tokyo’s Akasaka Palace, the second stop on the US President’s Asian tour, which also signed a land sector pact with Malaysiathe country where he was previously.

Os agreements have as a backdrop the restrictions imposed by China to exports of rare earths – a key mineral for technology, whose processing and sale Beijing practically monopolizes – in the context of the trade dispute with the United States.

In addition to this agreement, the heads of Government of Japan and the USA signed another document in which they commit to applying the trade agreement reached in July, which set Washington’s reciprocal tariffs at 15% and within which the fate of the 550 billion dollars that Tokyo committed to investing in the USA is still unknown.

Trump demands Japan increase defense spending

The US President assured the Japanese Prime Minister that Washington is an ally of Tokyo “at the highest level”, at a time when the United States demand that the archipelago increase defense spending.

“I have always had great love and respect for Japan. I want to assure you that this will be a special relationship (…) We are an ally at the highest level,” said Trump.

Sanae Takaichi, in the role of prime minister for a week, indicated that she wants to usher in a “new golden era” in Japan-US relations, at a time when Tokyo faces the growing military power of its Chinese neighbor.

Trump demands that United States allies increase military spending to continue to benefit from American protection.

Sanae Takaichi announced that Japan will increase the defense budget to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) from the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31, two years before the previously established calendar.

To put the 79-year-old billionaire in the best mood, the Japanese government plans, according to local press, to offer him golf clubs that belonged to Shinzo Abe and gold-plated golf balls.

Tokyo may also reveal the purchase of a hundred Ford F-150 pickup trucks, in a gesture of commercial goodwill.

While Trump makes demands, Takaichi proposes him for Nobel Peace Prize 2026.

The Japanese prime minister joins the list of foreign leaders allied with the US President, who requested the award for Trump, in recognition of his mediation in several international conflicts, including the recent ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.