Trump adviser Bolton leaves for Japan and South Korea

July 21, 2019

Washington--John Bolton, national security adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, left on a tour of Japan and South Korea on Saturday.

Bolton is expected to seek cooperation from the two Asian countries for the United States' plan to form a coalition of countries tasked with protecting commercial ships sailing in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for Middle East crude oil, amid growing tensions over Iran.

The U.S. government on Friday held a meeting with more than 60 countries, including Japan, at the Department of State to explain coalition plan. An additional session will be held in Tampa, Florida, next Thursday for talks on details of the initiative.

The purpose of Bolton's trip is "to continue conversations" with Japan and South Korea, both "critical allies and friends" of the United States, Garrett Marquis, spokesman at the White House National Security Council, said on Twitter on Saturday.

Bolton may call on Japan and South Korea to move for improving their relations, informed sources said.

On Friday, Trump told reporters at the White House that he is ready to mediate between Tokyo and Seoul to help them ease the bilateral tensions. "If they need me, I'm there," Trump said, while noting, "Hopefully, they can work it out."

Relations between the two neighboring countries have deteriorated sharply due partly to a series of South Korean court rulings that ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to South Koreans requisitioned to work for them during World War II and Japan's tighter controls on semiconductor materials exports to South Korea. Jiji Press