Japan gifts 250 cherry trees for DC after major | Political News

Japan will present the U.S. 250 cherry trees just in time for the nation’s anniversary of American Independence.

On Monday, Donald Trump met with Sanae Takaichi, the new prime minister of Japan, on the second day of his Asia tour. Both leaders hope to cement their nations’ strong ties.

Their assembly got here as Japan promised to ship lots of of cherry trees to line the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. The present is an element of the Tidal Basin Seawall Construction Project, which hopes to rebuild seawalls that have been susceptible to flooding for years.

The Tidal Basin, a man-made reservoir positioned between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel, is in the center of a large restoration project. The perimeter of the basin beforehand held trees that had been eliminated at the start of the construction, but Japan’s present is set to change them.

Now, the National Park Service is finally in a place to act on the promise, which is predicted to take about two years. The complete price is budgeted for $112.8 million, affecting about 1.2 miles in complete of sections of the Tidal Basin and West Potomac sea partitions, conserving them viable for another century.

Prime Minister Takaichi promised that Japan would present the U.S. 250 cherry trees, in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, including that fireworks from Japan’s Akita Prefecture might be shown in Washington during the Fourth of July celebrations.

In flip, Trump praised Takaichi, saying that he believes she might be one of the “greatest prime ministers.”

“I’d also like to congratulate you on being the first woman prime minister,” said the president. “That’s a big deal. That’s a big deal.”

Former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made the initial promise last yr during a White House state go to with then-President Joe Biden. “Like our friendship, these trees are timeless, inspiring, and thriving,” Biden said at the time.

The act of giving cherry trees has a historic connotation. In 1912, Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of Tokyo City, gave Washington 3,000 of the trees, which aren’t native to the U.S.

To commemorate the present, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Washington, D.C., each yr. The competition options large helium balloons, floats, marching bands from across the nation, and music. The trees are a major driver of tourism for the nation’s capital.