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After meeting Trump, Abe calls him a ‘trustworthy leader’

NEW YORK — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Mr Donald Trump early yesterday seeking clarity on campaign statements by the United States President-elect that rattled the Tokyo government, later telling reporters he was confident Mr Trump was a “trustworthy leader”.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with US President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York on November 17, 2016. Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office/handout via Reuters

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with US President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York on November 17, 2016. Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office/handout via Reuters

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NEW YORK — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Mr Donald Trump early yesterday seeking clarity on campaign statements by the United States President-elect that rattled the Tokyo government, later telling reporters he was confident Mr Trump was a “trustworthy leader”.

After the hastily arranged 90-minute meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan, Mr Abe told reporters: “The talks made me feel sure that we can build a relationship of trust.”

But he would not disclose specifics of the conversation because the talks were unofficial.

“I conveyed my basic views on various issues to Mr Trump but with regard to more of the specifics or details, because of the fact that Mr Trump has not assumed the office as the President of the United States and today’s discussion was an unofficial discussion, I would like to refrain from touching on details.”

The media were not at the meeting but images released by the Japanese government showed Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka was present, underscoring the family’s influence as he readies to take power. Other images also showed Ms Trump and her husband, real estate developer and publisher Jared Kushner, standing and chatting with Mr Abe.

The presence of Ms Trump, in a black-and-white dress and high heels, drew attention in protocol-conscious Japan, particularly after the tabloid press reported that Mr Trump planned to appoint her as US ambassador to Tokyo.

The meeting between Mr Abe and Mr Trump came as Japan’s leadership was nervous about the future strength of an alliance that is core to Tokyo’s diplomacy and security.

Mr Abe and other Asian leaders were alarmed at Mr Trump’s pledge during his campaign to make allies pay more for help from US forces, his suggestion that Japan should acquire its own nuclear weapons and his staunch opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal.

The Republican President-elect will succeed Democratic President Barack Obama on Jan 20.

Describing his conversation as “candid” and held in a “warm atmosphere”, Mr Abe said: “Alliances cannot function without trust. I am now confident that President-elect Trump is a trustworthy leader.”

He said he had agreed to meet again with Mr Trump “at a convenient time to cover a wider area in greater depth”. It was not clear if such a meeting would occur before Mr Trump’s inauguration.

Mr Trump’s official Kellyanne Conway said late on Thursday, in an interview with CBS, that “any deeper conversations about policy and the relationship between Japan and the United States will have to wait until after the inauguration”.

Mr Trump’s officials did not immediately comment following the meeting with Mr Abe.

Mr Abe is a veteran lawmaker who worked closely with Mr Obama on the 12-nation TPP trade pact, which was part of Mr Obama’s push to counter the rising strength of China and was a pillar of Mr Abe’s economic reforms.

Mr Abe and Mr Trump gave each other golfing gear as gifts during their meeting, according to a Japanese government statement.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso told reporters yesterday in Tokyo that it was beneficial for Mr Abe to meet Mr Trump before he becomes president, given the importance of Japan-US relations.

Mr Abe’s adviser Katsuyuki Kawai told Reuters he had spoken to several of Mr Trump’s advisers and lawmakers since arriving in Washington on Monday and had been told: “We don’t have to take each word that Mr Trump said publicly literally.”

When asked about the talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said yesterday that China welcomed the development of normal state-to-state relations but noted that security concerns of other countries should be respected.

“We hope that any cooperation and bilateral arrangements of relevant countries will not damage the interests of third parties,” he said. AGENCIES

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