Highlighting JAPAN

Japan-US Working Lunch and Japan-US Summit Meeting

On November 6, Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, held a working lunch and summit meeting with the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America. The overview of the meetings is as follows.


Japan-US Working Lunch

In opening remarks, the Prime Minister said as follows:

I would like to express my heartfelt condolences and sympathy for your loss and also to those people who lost their lives or were hurt in the shooting incident in Texas.

I would once again like to wholeheartedly welcome the visit of President Trump and the First Lady to Japan. Yesterday, we enjoyed playing golf and also had a great time over dinner. Today I look forward to having candid discussions to cover the issue of North Korea and other global challenges. The Japan-US alliance is the foundation for peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. Through the visit of the President to Japan this time, we would like to make the alliance firmer and an unwavering one.

In response, President Trump said:

It has been an absolutely great two days. Prime Minister Abe has become my very close friend. To be with Prime Minister and Mrs. Abe was something very special. To have the privilege of playing golf with Prime Minister Abe and [pro golfer] Mr. Hideki Matsuyama was great. The time that we spent together has been very fruitful. From now we will be discussing trade, North Korea, and others. It has been a very special two days. On behalf of the United States of America, I would like to thank the Prime Minister and Japan. We expect for a relationship that is even better than we have ever had before.

The two leaders then engaged in discussions on matters relating to bilateral security, including North Korea, the regional situation and Okinawa.


Japan-US Summit Meeting

Following the working lunch, a Japan-US summit meeting was held.

In opening remarks, Prime Minister Abe said that over the working lunch, the two leaders held in-depth discussions on the issue of North Korea and other various international challenges, and that he looked forward to continuing discussions in this summit meeting on the regional situation, economic issues, and bilateral relations.

In response, President Trump said that the working lunch had been a very good meeting, in which productive discussions took place particularly pertaining to trade, North Korea and a couple of other subjects. He mentioned his confidence in correction of the trade imbalance. He also noted that a great friendship had been built with Japan.

In the summit meeting, the two leaders continued to discuss the regional and international situation and economic issues.