Trump’s Japan visit to destroyer stronger Alliance: US Official

May 23, 2019

Washington--A visit to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump, set to start Saturday, will demonstrate a stronger alliance between the two countries, a senior U.S. administration official said Wednesday.

The visit "demonstrates that the alliance between the United States and Japan has never been stronger," the official said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump are expected to discuss a broad range of topics, including trade, during a summit on Monday. They will likely hold a joint press conference, the official said.

Trump has been calling for an early conclusion of a bilateral trade agreement. The administration official said: "Our trade and investment relations with Japan have, really, never been stronger. And the President intends to promote bilateral free and fair trade."

But the official said, "I don't think that the purpose of this trip is to focus on trade." A meeting with new Japanese Emperor Naruhito is "really the heart of the visit," the official said.

Trump and his wife, Melania, are scheduled to arrive in Tokyo Saturday afternoon as Japan's first state guests since the Emperor took the throne on May 1.

On Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to visit the U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, to give a speech about the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance and bilateral cooperation on a global scale. Jiji Press