Following her first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Tokyo on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi formally notified Trump that she has nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, joining a growing list of world leaders calling for him to receive the award.
A White House official told The New York Post that Takaichi “informed the President of her nomination and submitted the relevant documents” during a private meeting. The move reportedly pleased Trump, who has often expressed admiration for the Nobel institution.
During their Tokyo meeting, Trump and Takaichi signed two major bilateral agreements, declaring the start of a “new golden era” in U.S.–Japan relations.
The deals reaffirm a July trade agreement that cuts tariffs on Japanese goods to 15 percent and pledges expanded cooperation on rare earths and critical minerals in response to Chinese export restrictions.
Under the accord, Japan also agreed to a $550 billion investment and loan package in the United States, spanning shipbuilding, energy, and infrastructure projects. In return, Washington will lower tariffs on Japanese automobile imports, while Tokyo increases purchases of U.S. soybeans, natural gas, and pickup trucks.
The content of Takaichi’s Nobel nomination letter remains confidential, but she publicly praised Trump for helping broker this month’s Israel–Hamas ceasefire, telling reporters: “In such a short time, the world has begun to enjoy greater peace. Against this backdrop, I deeply value your unwavering commitment to peace and stability.”
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Takaichi, a conservative protégé of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also announced Japan will donate 250 cherry trees for next year’s U.S. bicentennial celebrations and sponsor a July 4 fireworks display in Washington.
Trump, in turn, lauded Takaichi as “an impressive leader,” recalling Abe’s high regard for her. “Shinzo told me she was the future of Japan,” Trump said.
Global leaders endorse Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize
Momentum behind Trump’s Nobel nomination has grown rapidly across continents.
- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Sunday that he would nominate Trump, crediting him with mediating a July truce that ended a five-day border clash between Cambodia and Thailand.
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, appearing with Trump at an Oct. 13 peace summit in Egypt, said Trump deserves the prize for ending two years of conflict in Gaza and facilitating a May ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced at a White House event in August that they would jointly write to the Nobel Committee recognizing Trump’s mediation in ending decades of hostility between their countries.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Trump in July, citing his role in ending Israel’s war with Iran by authorizing the use of U.S. precision munitions against Iranian nuclear facilities.
- Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe also supported the nomination, noting Trump’s role in facilitating peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo—an effort endorsed by African leaders visiting the White House, including Guinea-Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embaló, Gabon’s Brice Oligui Nguema, and Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Trump on diplomacy: “Peace is what I’m good at”
Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump described peacemaking as “almost a hobby,” though one he takes seriously.
“I shouldn’t call it a hobby because it’s far more serious than that—but it’s something I’m good at and something I love,” he said.
The president added that beyond the Russia–Ukraine conflict, he hopes to mediate between Pakistan and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
According to Trump, he has helped resolve or ease tensions in eight conflicts this year, including: Azerbaijan–Armenia, Cambodia–Thailand, Egypt–Ethiopia, India–Pakistan, Israel–Hamas, Israel–Iran, Rwanda–Congo, and Serbia–Kosovo.
The Nobel Peace Prize, awarded annually by a five-member committee appointed by Norway’s Parliament, recognizes individuals or organizations for extraordinary contributions to peace during the previous year.
This year’s laureate, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, dedicated her award to Trump, calling him “a catalyst for global change.”
