PM Shigeru Ishiba seeks to reassure Washington of Tokyo’s commitment to the US-Japan alliance and its presence in the region, amid concerns over China’s influence.

U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to place 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada from Feb. 1 if the two countries are not judged to be doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

Oil prices slipped for a second day on Thursday after U.S. crude stockpiles rose more than expected, though attention remained on tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump on Mexico and Canada,

"Investors are trying to assess the impact of Trump's tariff policy," said Yuki Takashima, economist at Nomura Securities, noting that if tariffs are imposed, the U.S. energy market could face immediate disruptions, but also experience falling demand later due to higher energy prices and declining consumption.

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, struggling to stabilize his minority government, said Friday he will seek to maintain regional security and prepare for tough negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump to win his commitment to maintain a strong American presence in the Asia-Pacific.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed in thin Lunar New Year trading on Tuesday after Wall Street’s tech superstars tumbled as a competitor from China raised doubts over the recent artificial-intelligence market frenzy.

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors focused on tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump on Mexico and Canada, the two largest suppliers of crude to the United States. Brent crude futures were down 10 cents at $76.

Markets were cautiously optimistic after Trump took a lighter approach to China on Monday. That sentiment lasted a day.

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as markets braced for threatened tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump on Mexico and Canada, the two largest suppliers of crude oil to United States, and awaited a meeting of OPEC+ producers.

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors focused on tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump on Mexico and Canada, the two largest suppliers

Asia Market Update: Nasdaq FUTs supported by SoftBank/OpenAI news; Large-cap tech earnings also in focus; Yen firms ahead of Himino, Fed decision was earlier; Tokyo CPI due on Fri. - SoftBank Group: Said to be in talks to invest up to $25.0B into OpenAI; the investment plan is said to be 'on top of' the Stargate commitment - FT.

Other AI-related companies also held steadier, including chip company Broadcom, which rose 2.6%. Constellation Energy picked up 1.4% after plummeting nearly 21% on Monday. It had earlier rallied on expectations it will help supply the electricity that vast AI data centers would gobble up.