Abe, Trump Reaffirm Close Cooperation after Midterm Elections

November 9, 2018

Tokyo--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed close cooperation on Friday to strengthen their countries' alliance further, in their first phone talks since U.S. midterm elections.

The 10-minute conversation took place following a request from Japan.

Abe congratulated Trump on good election results for his Republican Party in the Senate. Trump expressed his gratitude and voiced his hope to continue to work closely with Abe.

They also talked about a planned meeting between Abe and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who will visit Japan from Monday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference that the frequent top-level communications, including the latest telephone talks, demonstrate the strong Japan-U.S. alliance under the two leaders' close relationship.

Abe and Trump did not discuss North Korean issues or trade, according to Suga.

After Republicans lost control of the House in the midterm elections, worries are growing in Japan that Trump may take a hard-line stance, mainly on trade issues, in the run-up to the next presidential election two years later. Jiji Press