President Trump’s Press Briefing With Japan’s Shinzō Abe (Live Video)

Mar-a-Lago is a Trump-owned business. Being a leader who is private and listens to a small number of advisors himself, Abe instinctively understands that it is imperative to gain Trump’s confidence in order to engage in meaningful conversation on any issue.

A senior USA government official said in a telephone press conference on Thursday that Trump placed importance on automobile trade and was sure to put it on the agenda. He also took the opportunity to suggest that Japan can provide the US infrastructure help in building high-speed rail from Washington to Trump Tower in Manhattan.

Unlike previous presidents, Trump greeted his global guest at the door of the West Wing, a job that used to be done by a protocol officer.

The new president has assailed Japan for allegedly devaluing the yen to boost exports, grouping it with other countries he says are taking “advantage” of the United States. Now he’s done that, too.

“Strong hands”, Trump said of Abe, and motioned a golf swing to reporters. He added, however, that he’s okay with that because even in Japan people know the name of the great president, Abraham Lincoln. It is unclear what they were talking about, but there is speculation that a strategy to overcome Trump, which is increasingly dissatisfied with trade with Japan, has been discussed.

President Donald Trump, fresh off patching up ties with China, reassured Japan’s leader Friday that the US will defend its close ally. Abe conducted the meeting in his native language. Japan ratified the deal last month.

Abe is scheduled to return to Japan on Monday evening.

“Getting along with Trump is a matter of life or death for Japan”, Pajon said. “With North Korea shooting off nuclear weapons, testing nuclear bombs and shooting off missiles”, said Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy. Japanese public investment agencies also complained that Abe is expecting them to spend hundreds of billions of yen to build the United States high-speed railway.

Abe can make a good pitch. You look at what China’s doing, you look at what Japan has done over the years.

Trump did not explain how the three countries would reach a level playing field, or what he meant by the phrase. Some in Chinese military circles are already banging the war drums. In that sense, this may be one of the most hard bilateral summits for Abe.

The two leaders will also discuss the U.S. military commitment to Japan, a key security linchpin in Asia Pacific.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss sharing the price tag for us troops in Japan as well as threats from North Korea and China’s military activities in the South China Sea.

Under President Barack Obama, the United States reiterated its commitment to defending those uninhabited rocks in the case of conflict.