US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have said they will strive for a “new golden age” for the countries’ alliance in their first meeting.

Axar.az informs, citing Financial Times, on the second leg of a five-day Asia trip, the US president said relations with Washington’s most important ally in the region would become stronger. He congratulated Takaichi on her historic election as Japan’s first female prime minister, saying it was a “big deal”.

The leaders on Tuesday signed two agreements, including one that called on each government to “take further steps for a new golden age” for the US-Japan security alliance. The second agreement was aimed at securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, as well as investing in their mining and processing, as part of a push to reduce reliance on China. Little detail was available on the substance of either deal.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Takaichi told Trump she would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, making her the latest world leader to seek favour with the US president by putting him forward for an award that he has stressed he wants.