Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will go to the White House to try to rekindle Japan’s relationship with President Donald Trump — and to fend off potential tariffs.

Trump has long felt that Japan and other wealthy allies take advantage of the U.S., racking up big trade surpluses, while paying too little for the cost of American military protection.

"We love Japan!" Trump said as he greeted Ishiba and the two shook hands. Trump later told reporters at they sat together in the Oval Office that the two countries would work together to get U.S. trade deficit with Japan down to "even.