Trump set for first meeting with Japan’s Emperor since 2019 amid Asia trip

US President Donald Trump is set to meet Japanese Emperor Naruhito on Monday, October 27 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo — marking their first meeting in six years since Trump’s previous presidency.

The visit comes shortly after Trump departed Malaysia, where he attended the 47th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit. Before leaving, Trump called Malaysia a “great and very vibrant country” and announced several trade agreements with the host nation.

Read: Trump starts Asian tour with deals

During his visit, Trump also joined the signing of an expanded truce between Thailand and Cambodia — a deal he said he helped broker in July. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the accord had “saved millions of lives.”

South Korea pledges stronger anti-crime cooperation with ASEAN

At the ASEAN–Republic of Korea Summit held alongside the leaders’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung pledged to strengthen cooperation with Southeast Asian nations to combat transnational and organised crime.

Lee said the South Korean National Police Agency would enhance investigative collaboration with the ASEAN Chiefs of Police (ASEANAPOL) to dismantle cross-border crime networks, including scam centres operating in border regions and exploiting young victims.

“We will strengthen investigative cooperation with ASEANAPOL to eradicate organised crime networks and ensure that high-stakes crimes have no place in the region,” Lee said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for deeper ASEAN–South Korea collaboration to navigate challenges stemming from technological disruption, strategic competition, and fragmented supply chains.

Read More: Trump headlines ASEAN summit as Thailand, Cambodia reach ceasefire deal

ASEAN remains one of South Korea’s largest trading partners, with Seoul investing a cumulative $8.5 billion across the region. Lee noted that South Korean companies continue to drive ASEAN’s industrial growth in sectors such as automobiles, steel, and electronics.

Marking 35 years of ASEAN–Korea dialogue relations last year, Lee announced that South Korea would host the ASEAN–ROK Commemorative Summit in 2029 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of ties.