All national dailies extensively reported on Saturday morning on President Trump’s speech at an annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, on Friday, during which he said the U.S. might consider negotiating with TPP members either individually or as a group “if it is in the interests of all.” Noting that President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the TPP right after he took office last January, Asahi wrote that if the U.S. were to engage in multilateral trade agreements such as the TPP, it would mark a shift from the President’s policy of focusing on bilateral trade deals. Sankei quoted a senior White House official as saying on Friday that there has been no change in the U.S. position of not participating in the current TPP and that “the President meant the U.S. would be ready to rejoin the TPP if the conditions were changed in favor of the U.S.”

Mainichi said while the GOJ would welcome the possibility of the U.S. returning to the TPP, it is taking a cautious stance, quoting Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Nishimura as saying: “We need to determine his real intention.” The paper also wrote that since President Trump indicated changing the TPP terms in favor of the U.S. as a condition for its return, the paper said renegotiating the deal would take a long time, quoting Nishimura as also saying: “The GOJ basically will not accept renegotiation.” TPP Minister Motegi also reportedly told reporters: “The top priority is to put the TPP11 into effect.”