TOKYO — President Donald Trump lavished praise on Japan’s first female leader Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo today, welcoming her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signing deals on trade and critical minerals.

Takaichi, a close ally of Trump’s friend and golfing partner to the late Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, also said she would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

The new prime minister is also expected to offer a package of U.S. investments under a $550-billion deal agreed this year, including shipbuilding, and increased purchases of U.S. soybeans, natural gas and pickup trucks, sources familiar with the talk said.

Those gestures may temper any Trump demands for Tokyo to spend more on defending islands from an increasing

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