Asia set to pledge $30 billion in energy, mineral deals with US

Japan and other Asia-Pacific nations are set to unveil at least $30 billion worth of agreements with US companies this weekend, as Trump administration officials descend on Tokyo to press for more collaboration with regional allies on energy and critical minerals. The deals will take the form of purchase commitments and other transactions spanning a range of products and sectors, including coal, oil, liquefied natural gas and nuclear power, according to White House officials, who asked not to be named before the announcements. The flurry of activity comes in the run-up to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Washington…