President Trump is currently in Japan, where he met with the country’s new conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
During the visit, Takaichi gave President Trump a very special and symbolic gift — the late Shinzo Abe’s putter and a golf bag signed by Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama.
See for yourself:
PM Takaichi gifts President @realDonaldTrump a golf bag signed by Hideki Matsuyama and Prime Minister Abe’s putter ❤️⛳️ pic.twitter.com/YlaYnfr846
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) October 28, 2025
Shinzo Abe maintained close ties with President Trump during his time as Japan’s prime minister.
In fact, Abe and President Trump played golf together on several occasions.
Abe was tragically assassinated a few years later, in 2022.
The new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, hopes to similarly foster good, close relations between the U.S. and Japan.
CNN has more:
Abe cultivated very close ties with the US during Trump’s first term, with the president describing him as “one of my best friends.”
The two leaders shared a love of golf and played nine holes alongside Matsuyama during Trump’s maiden diplomatic visit to Asia in 2017.
Matsuyama is a national hero, having become the first Japanese man to win a golf major. This year, he made PGA Tour history by shooting an astonishing 35-under to win The Sentry in Kapalua, Hawaii.
Takaichi, an Abe protege, hopes to foster similar close ties with the US.
After presenting the golf bag and putter, Takaichi and Trump both signed black baseball caps featuring the words “Japan Is Back” in gold lettering – a play on Trump’s often-used phrase “America Is Back.”
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What an awesome gift and symbol of friendship between two nations.
It will be interesting to see if President Trump puts it in his library…or keeps it to use himself!
The bag goes to the Library. But he’s keeping the putter!
— Paul Bass 🇺🇸 (@Card_inal) October 28, 2025
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