Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has become the first world leader to meet President-elect Donald Trump.
The pair met in Manhattan’s Trump Tower, exchanged golf gear as presents, and discussed the future of US-Japan relations, with Abe telling reporters he had “great confidence” in The Donald.
It was a pleasure to have Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stop by my home and begin a great friendship.
Several eyebrows were raised at the inclusion of daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, who sat in on the meeting in the grandiose gold-leafed, cream-upholstered penthouse.
This is an amazing photo. Ivanka sits in on her father's meeting with Prime Minister Abe of Japan pic.twitter.com/FfJyCLNAgr
— amol rajan (@amolrajan) November 18, 2016
During the campaign Trump said places like Japan and South Korea should be paying more towards US military bases in their countries, but Japan already pays half the costs – some £1.6 billion a year.
He has even suggested they should get their own nukes rather than relying on ‘Merican deterrence – risking an atomic arms race in north east Asia.
Trump’s staunch opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) also caused a lot of nail-biting in Tokyo.
Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Abe, with Ivanka in attendance. In what appears to be a casino lobby. pic.twitter.com/r1DMiwpxA8
— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) November 18, 2016
The president-elect says the 12-country deal would hurt American jobs, but it’s seen as crucial to the future of Japan’s economy, making it easier for the country to export goods.
Speaking after the meeting, Abe said: “I do believe that without confidence between the two nations (the) alliance would never function in the future.
“After the outcome of today’s discussion I am convinced Mr Trump is a leader in whom I can have great confidence.”