AFP, Washington :
US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged closer security and trade ties on Friday after a White House meeting featuring brotherly hugs, jokes and plenty of words of mutual admiration. The Japanese leader flew into Washington hoping to mend ties strained by Mr Trump’s willingness to question long-standing defense commitments and his rejection of a trans-Pacific trade deal backed by Tokyo.
Addressing a joint news conference after their talks, Mr Trump signalled that he too was looking to cement ties between the two countries.
“We’re committed to the security of Japan,” Mr Trump said.
“The bond between our two nations and the friendship between our two peoples runs very, very deep. This administration is committed to bringing those ties even closer.”
Both leaders also moved to smooth over tensions caused by Mr Trump’s rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership -considered dead as a result.
Trade relations, they agreed, should benefit both nations, an issue set to feature on the agenda and their upcoming working lunch.
“On the economy, we will seek a trading relationship that is free, fair, and reciprocal,” Mr Trump said.
Washington has a hefty trade deficit with Tokyo – its second largest after China – something the US president views unfavorably.
Mr Abe, meanwhile, said that Tokyo and Washington should take on a “leadership” role in creating a fair market “based on rules.”
Earlier on Friday, Mr Abe told business leaders that US-Japanese commerce had been “win-win” as he highlighted the hundreds of thousands of American jobs created by Japanese investments.
The two leaders – who head later on Friday to Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for a day of golf – were also expected to find common cause on the issue of China.
Tokyo was often concerned about president Barack Obama’s willingness to work with Beijing, and Mr Trump has been expected to take a tougher line.
The US president sought to reassure Mr Abe that Japan should not feel threatened by what he described as a “very warm” conversation he had with China’s Xi Jinping a day earlier in which he vowed to respect the “One China” policy.
“We had a very, very good talk last night, and discussed a lot of subjects. It was a long talk,” Mr Trump said, adding that he and Xi were “in the process of getting along very well, and I think it will be very much of a benefit to Japan.”
Trump has cast himself as a change agent willing to rip up existing agreements and relationships to put “America first.”
While his defense secretary had traveled to Japan to send reassuring messages about the durability of the relationship, until now Trump has showed little inclination to play nice.
Inside the White House, foreign policy is sometimes treated as little more than a tool to frame Trump’s image at home.
“The Trump administration has sent mixed signals about the relationship thus far,” said Michael Green of the Center for International and Strategic Studies.
“For Abe, a strong relationship with the United States is critical given the threat from North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs and China’s rise.”
On the issue of China, however, Abe and Trump may find common cause.
Tokyo was often concerned about president Barack Obama’s willingness to work with Beijing. Trump is expected to take a tougher line.
“We will work together to promote our shared interests, of which we have many, in the region, including freedom from navigation and defending against the North Korean missile and nuclear threat, both of which I consider a very, very high priority,” Trump said.
US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged closer security and trade ties on Friday after a White House meeting featuring brotherly hugs, jokes and plenty of words of mutual admiration. The Japanese leader flew into Washington hoping to mend ties strained by Mr Trump’s willingness to question long-standing defense commitments and his rejection of a trans-Pacific trade deal backed by Tokyo.
Addressing a joint news conference after their talks, Mr Trump signalled that he too was looking to cement ties between the two countries.
“We’re committed to the security of Japan,” Mr Trump said.
“The bond between our two nations and the friendship between our two peoples runs very, very deep. This administration is committed to bringing those ties even closer.”
Both leaders also moved to smooth over tensions caused by Mr Trump’s rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership -considered dead as a result.
Trade relations, they agreed, should benefit both nations, an issue set to feature on the agenda and their upcoming working lunch.
“On the economy, we will seek a trading relationship that is free, fair, and reciprocal,” Mr Trump said.
Washington has a hefty trade deficit with Tokyo – its second largest after China – something the US president views unfavorably.
Mr Abe, meanwhile, said that Tokyo and Washington should take on a “leadership” role in creating a fair market “based on rules.”
Earlier on Friday, Mr Abe told business leaders that US-Japanese commerce had been “win-win” as he highlighted the hundreds of thousands of American jobs created by Japanese investments.
The two leaders – who head later on Friday to Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for a day of golf – were also expected to find common cause on the issue of China.
Tokyo was often concerned about president Barack Obama’s willingness to work with Beijing, and Mr Trump has been expected to take a tougher line.
The US president sought to reassure Mr Abe that Japan should not feel threatened by what he described as a “very warm” conversation he had with China’s Xi Jinping a day earlier in which he vowed to respect the “One China” policy.
“We had a very, very good talk last night, and discussed a lot of subjects. It was a long talk,” Mr Trump said, adding that he and Xi were “in the process of getting along very well, and I think it will be very much of a benefit to Japan.”
Trump has cast himself as a change agent willing to rip up existing agreements and relationships to put “America first.”
While his defense secretary had traveled to Japan to send reassuring messages about the durability of the relationship, until now Trump has showed little inclination to play nice.
Inside the White House, foreign policy is sometimes treated as little more than a tool to frame Trump’s image at home.
“The Trump administration has sent mixed signals about the relationship thus far,” said Michael Green of the Center for International and Strategic Studies.
“For Abe, a strong relationship with the United States is critical given the threat from North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs and China’s rise.”
On the issue of China, however, Abe and Trump may find common cause.
Tokyo was often concerned about president Barack Obama’s willingness to work with Beijing. Trump is expected to take a tougher line.
“We will work together to promote our shared interests, of which we have many, in the region, including freedom from navigation and defending against the North Korean missile and nuclear threat, both of which I consider a very, very high priority,” Trump said.
