Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed optimism on Sunday that his country could avoid higher U.S. tariffs, saying President Donald Trump had "recognised" Japan's huge investment in the U.S.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is hoping for reassurances Friday that the alliance is still strong. But in this White House, even a meet-and-greet can be a gamble.

Ishiba will also look to remind Trump — who has proposed tariffs on both friends and foes in an effort to boost American manufacturing — about the long-running U.S.-Japan alliance. Japanese companies employ nearly 1 million Americans and have held the top spot for cumulative foreign direct investment into the U.S. over the last five years.