Japanese conservatives are calling on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to postpone his planned meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump, saying his weak political standing and “unstable government” leave him vulnerable to demands that could hurt Japan, while others insist it is crucial to engage now to maintain strong relations with the United States.

In a column published by the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals, one of the country’s leading conservative think tanks, head Takashi Arimoto said Trump “prefers to deal with strong foreign leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” regardless of whether they led democracies or dictatorships.

Arimoto added that Trump would use a meeting with Ishiba to make demands that “will only harm Japan’s national interests.” He suggested that Ishiba wait until his domestic political position stabilized, allowing him to negotiate from a position of greater strength.

Others, however, believe that avoiding Trump could mean greater risks for Japan. Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University in Tokyo, agreed there was a good chance Trump would “try to take advantage of Ishiba’s weak position,” but stressed the importance of nurturing relations with Japan’s most crucial security and trade ally .

“Abe figured out that the way to deal with Trump is to flatter him, and Ishiba now has to go to the US and do what he can to build a strong relationship,” Kingston told This Week in Asia, referring to the late prime minister. Minister Shinzo Abe.

“If he takes this advice from conservatives and plays hardball, I don’t think Trump will take it too well. Trump prefers appeals to anyone standing up to him, and that would only leave Japan in a weaker position.”