Trump announces first tranche of Japan's investments in US industry under $550bn trade pact

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced Japan’s first round of investments in American energy and critical mineral projects, marking an early rollout of commitments made under a sweeping bilateral trade agreement.

The announcement comes weeks before Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to visit Washington, where economic cooperation will likely be the core topic of discussions.

The US Commerce Department said the initial tranche of projects amounts to $36 billion, signalling that Tokyo has begun delivering on its broader pledge to invest heavily in rebuilding key American industries.

Trump highlighted the development in a social media post, framing it as a major milestone in US-Japan economic ties. “Japan is now officially, and financially, moving forward with the FIRST set of Investments under its $550 BILLION Dollar Commitment to invest in the United States of America,” he wrote.

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Energy, exports, and industrial manufacturing

The announced investments span three major projects—natural gas power generation, crude oil exports, and advanced manufacturing inputs.

According to the Commerce Department, cited by AFP, the natural gas facility in Ohio will generate 9.2 gigawatts of power, significantly boosting domestic energy capacity. Meanwhile, a crude oil export facility planned in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to generate between $20 billion and $30 billion annually in US crude exports.

A third project—a synthetic industrial diamond manufacturing facility, which Trump indicated would be located in Georgia—is designed to strengthen US industrial independence. The department said the facility will “onshore production 100 percent of US demand for synthetic diamond grit,” describing it as “a critical input for advanced industrial and technological production.”

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While Trump initially referred to a liquefied natural gas facility, the Commerce Department clarified that the investment focuses on broader natural gas-powered infrastructure.

Notably, Trump did not name the companies involved or disclose financing details.

Trade pact momentum ahead of key visit

The investments stem from a major trade agreement reached last July, under which Japan pledged $550 billion in investments through 2029. In return, Washington agreed to scale down threatened tariffs on Japanese imports from 25 percent to 15 percent.

However, Japanese Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa has said only a small fraction—around one to two percent—would be direct capital investment. The bulk of the commitment will consist of loans, bonds from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and state-backed financial guarantees.

The timing of the announcement is important, as Takaichi is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on March 19. Reports suggest tensions had emerged over the pace and structure of the deal’s implementation.

Despite those concerns, Trump struck an upbeat tone, emphasising tariffs as a key lever behind the investments. “The scale of these projects are so large, and could not be done without one very special word, TARIFFS,” he wrote.