Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is heading to the United States for a summit with President Donald Trump. The visit aims to reaffirm the importance of the US-Japan alliance and discuss trade and defense ties. Ishiba may propose increasing imports of US natural gas to boost energy security for Japan. The meeting is expected to focus on the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Concerns remain about how the two countries will renegotiate defense costs and potential trade tariffs.