US President Donald Trump began Sunday with a round of golf with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the second day of his four-day state visit to Japan.
US President Donald Trump began Sunday with a round of golf with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the second day of his four-day state visit to Japan, giving himself a moment of relaxation before official talks which are expected to focus on trade and North Korea. In a heat already overwhelming in the morning, with temperatures promising to exceed 30 degrees, and under a cloudless sky, the Marine One helicopter landed with a thunderous noise on the grass of the peaceful Mobara golf club in the Chiba prefecture near Tokyo.
Mr. Abe, white pants and blue sports jacket, was waiting for his playing partner. It was he who took the wheel of the cart to accompany his host, dressed in black pants and a red sweater and wearing 'a red cap emblazoned with the letters USA. The two men, after a breakfast at the club, played a game of only 16 holes, the space of the last two being occupied by helicopters and the security team.
"Japan loves it"
Enthusiastic Tweet from Donald Trump: “In a moment I'm playing golf with @AbeShinzo. Japan loves this game ”. He had launched another Tweet earlier in the morning, on North Korea this time, with the apparent intention of easing tensions over the two missile tests carried out in early May by Pyongyang, after the failure of its second summit. with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in February in Hanoi. “North Korea threw some small arms, which bothered some in my country and others, but not me,” Mr. Trump tweeted. "I trust President Kim to keep his promise to me," he added.
After the golf the two leaders will go to the final of the Sumo Tournament underway in Tokyo, and Mr. Trump will present the "Presidential Cup", about 1,4 kilograms and 1 meters high, to the winner. We have known since the last games on Saturday afternoon that it will be the Japanese Asanoyama, who will remain whatever happens on Sunday with the most wins. Serious diplomacy will begin on Monday. The US president will be the first foreign leader to meet with the new Emperor Naruhito, who ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne on May XNUMX, following the abdication of his father Akihito. The other leaders will have to wait for the festivities organized in October to have this honor. He will also have discussions in Tokyo on current trade negotiations between the United States, the world's largest economy and Japan, the third, aimed at reaching a bilateral agreement.
Balancing trade
Mr. Trump has also set foot in the dish barely arrived on Japanese soil on Saturday, criticizing trade exchanges according to him unbalanced to the advantage of Japan. While he postponed the imposition of additional tariffs on imports of Japanese and European cars for six months last week, he also said that the United States' dependence on the foreign auto industry posed a threat to the United States. US national security - which has not failed to irritate giants like Toyota.
It will become "a little fairer," the US president added on Saturday to Japanese CEOs, including those in the automotive sector, in an allusion to ongoing discussions. However, experts do not expect concrete results during the presidential visit due to the prospect of senatorial elections in Japan in July and persistent rumors lending Mr Abe plans to call for early parliamentary elections as well. Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer chatted for two hours on Saturday evening on the sidelines of Mr. Trump's visit.
At the end of this interview, Mr. Motegi noted in front of the press "a deepening" of the mutual understanding between the two parties "without this signifying that their positions are in perfect harmony". "We agreed that we had to make efforts to reach an agreement soon (…) but I do not think that we will sign it on the 27th," added the Japanese minister.
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