Abe, Trump agree to bolster alliance, speed up trade talks

June 28, 2019

Osaka, June 28 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed on Friday to further strengthen the two countries' security alliance and speed up talks on concluding a bilateral trade pact.

At a meeting held in the western Japan city of Osaka ahead of the start of the two-day Group of 20 summit later in the day, Abe and Trump did not address a possible review of the Japan-U.S. security regime, according to sources with access to the bilateral meeting.

The two leaders "confirmed their intent to deepen and expand U.S.-Japan alliance cooperation around the globe, including taking steps to maintain the alliance's technological advantage and bolstering systems to safeguard sensitive information and technology sharing," a White House official said.

A Japanese official said, "There have been no discussions so far on the possibility of changing something in the (security) framework."

The Japanese and U.S. leaders did not discuss issues related to the United States' defense burden under the bilateral security treaty or purchases of U.S. defense equipment by Japan, the official said.

Trump has recently complained about the heavy U.S. burden under the security treaty.

"If Japan is attacked, we will fight World War III. We will go in and protect them with our lives and with our treasure," Trump said in a recent interview with Fox Business News. He added: "But if we are attacked, Japan doesn't have to help us at all. They can watch on a Sony television the attack."

On the trade front, Trump at the meeting with Abe noted that his country has been running deficits with Japan.

In response, Abe touted Japanese firms' robust investment in the United States, saying that a total of 16 investment contracts were signed in the past three months.

Since the inauguration of the Trump administration in January 2017, Japanese companies have invested 24.4 billion dollars in the United States and helped create 47,000 new jobs in the country, Abe added, seeking the U.S. leader's understanding for the contributions.

Abe and Trump stopped short of talking about a deadline for concluding the bilateral trade negotiations, according to the Japanese side.

The bilateral summit came after Abe and Trump met in Washington in April and in Tokyo in May.

The fact that they met for the third straight month is a proof of the strong Japan-U.S. alliance, Abe said.

They also agreed to closely cooperate to make the Group of 20 summit a success.

The two leaders also exchanged views on escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. Abe apparently called on Trump to make diplomatic efforts to avoid an armed clash with Iran.

Abe agreed with Trump on Japan-U.S. cooperation to denuclearize North Korea while briefing the U.S. president on his meeting Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Abe-Trump meeting was also participated by Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso and Economic Revitalization Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. From the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer joined the meeting.

At a meeting held later on Friday, Abe, Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the view that the three countries' cooperation is of great significance for stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

They also agreed that Japan, the United States and India will work together at various levels to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Jiji Press