Trump Announces First USD 36 Billion Japanese Investments Under Historic USD 550 Billion US-Japan Trade Deal

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled the first tranche of Japanese investments under a sweeping USD 550 billion trade and investment agreement with Japan, marking the official launch of the long-awaited pact aimed at boosting American energy, manufacturing and supply chain resilience.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump declared “Our MASSIVE Trade Deal with Japan has just launched!” and said Japan is now “officially, and financially, moving forward” with the first wave of investments under its commitment to invest in the United States.

Projects Worth USD 36 Billion

The initial investment tranche - of about USD 36 billion, includes three major projects across key U.S. states: Energy infrastructure in Texas, involving a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility geared toward bolstering U.S. export capacity.

A large-scale gas-fired power plant in Ohio, projected as one of the largest of its kind. A critical minerals processing plant in Georgia, designed to support advanced manufacturing and strengthen supply chains. These investments are the first under Japan’s broader USD 550 billion pledge as part of the bilateral trade framework agreed between the two allies.

These projects are being advanced under the broader framework of the US–Japan trade deal, which lowered tariffs on Japanese imports to 15 per cent and in return secured massive investment pledges from Tokyo. 

Trump Frames Deal as Historic Win

Trump framed the deal as a “historic” achievement, asserting it would create “hundreds of thousands of great American jobs,” revitalize domestic energy and industrial sectors, and reinforce U.S. supply chain security. He credited tariff negotiations as a key factor in unlocking the scale of the investments and promoted the projects as evidence of renewed U.S. industrial strength.

“The scale of these projects is enormous… and could not be done without that special word - tariffs,” Trump wrote, adding that initiatives like the Ohio plant and Texas facilities would reinforce American “energy dominance”.  

Strategic Timing Ahead of Leadership Talks

The announcement comes ahead of a planned visit by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to Washington next month, seen by analysts as a signal of deepening economic cooperation between the two allies.

While Trump has celebrated the breakthrough, earlier negotiations encountered some friction over project terms and timing, illustrating the complex coordination required to finalise the initial deals under the investment package.

Under the terms of the larger agreement, Japan’s investments are intended to strengthen U.S. energy infrastructure, expand critical minerals supply and reduce dependency on foreign sources for strategic materials, moves aligned with broader efforts to secure key industrial sectors. 

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