Sanae Takaichi began her tenure as Prime Minister of Japan on Wednesday, and sources revealed her government is finalizing a procurement package including U.S. pickup trucks, soybeans, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). This package is expected to be presented to U.S. President Trump during trade and security talks scheduled for next week. However, a source familiar with the preparations confirmed that Takaichi will not pledge any new defense spending targets during the meeting, despite pressure from Washington for Japan and other allies to take on more responsibility. The two leaders are scheduled to meet in Tokyo early next week, marking Trump's first visit to Japan since his re-election. The visit follows an agreement by Takaichi's predecessor, Ishiba Shigeru, to invest up to $550 billion in the United States in exchange for lower automobile tariffs. In her first press conference after assuming the role of Prime Minister, Takaichi stated that "the alliance with the United States is the cornerstone of Japanese foreign and security policy." When asked about the procurement package and potential investments, a Japanese government spokesperson said: "It is too early to comment on any discussions that will take place during President Trump's visit." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The 'sweeteners' Takaichi plans to offer Trump in her first major diplomatic test include purchasing Ford F150 pickup trucks (an idea previously floated by Trump), and agreeing to buy more U.S. soybeans (a request made by U.S. Commerce Secretary Lutnick in a phone call with his Japanese counterpart last week). A source told Reuters that Japan may cut purchases of Brazilian soybeans to make room for increased U.S. soybean imports, which already account for 70% of Japanese consumption. Additionally, the F-150 pickup trucks, designed for wider U.S. roads, could potentially be used as snowplows in Japan. Investment and Defense Spending Japan also plans to buy more U.S. LNG, but will not currently purchase from the Alaskan pipeline project that Trump has been pushing. Officials will also submit a list of candidate investment projects under the $550 billion agreement, which the two governments will review before Trump makes final selections, the source added. During the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership campaign, Takaichi was the only one of the five candidates to suggest the agreement was unfair because the U.S. received the bulk of the returns, but after winning, she said she would implement the agreement. Another Japanese government source said, "Even if the profit split is one to nine, it can still make commercial sense if the risk is low." On the defense front, the hawkish conservative prime minister said she wants to deepen security ties with Washington. Japan already hosts the most concentrated grouping of U.S. forces, including an aircraft carrier, a U.S. Marine expeditionary force and dozens of fighter jets. The first source said that at next week's meeting, she will indicate Japan is willing to accelerate defense buildup beyond the 2% of GDP target set for 2027. Takaichi said yesterday she would instruct defense officials to review three 2022 strategic documents that underpin Japan's biggest military expansion since World War Two. When asked on Wednesday if Japan would review national security documents, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said, "What is important is not the amount or percentage of GDP. What is important is the substance of our defense capabilities." Further Analysis: It's important to note that these negotiations are occurring within a changing global context, as Japan seeks to solidify its position as a regional power while maintaining strong ties with the United States. These deals could strengthen the economic and security relationship between the two countries, but they may also raise questions about trade balance and defense burden-sharing. Other nations in the region will likely be watching these developments closely, as they could have significant implications for regional power dynamics.