President Trump has the honor of being the first head of state invited to meet Emperor Naruhito since he assumed power May 1 after his father stepped down, the first abdication in about two centuries.
WASHINGTON — Under the threat of potentially devastating U.S. tariffs on autos, Japan is ready to roll out the newest phase of its charm offensive targeting President Donald Trump as it welcomes him on a state visit tailor-made to his whims and ego.
"In the world of Donald Trump, terrible things can happen if you're an ally, but no major blows have landed on Japan," said Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia and Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Abe will host Trump on Sunday for a round of golf and take the president to a sumo wrestling match, a sport Trump said he finds"fascinating." Trump is eager to present the winner with a U.S.-made trophy.
Trump plans to return to Japan for a summit of leading rich and developing nations in Osaka in late June. "On the surface, it's all going to be a display of warmth, friendship, hospitality," said Mireya Solis, a senior fellow at the Brookings Center for East Asia Policy Studies. But, she said,"there's an undercurrent of awkwardness and concern about what the future might hold. ... We're coming to a decisive moment. This is, I think, the moment of truth."
"Abe has to rely on Trump to advocate," she said. Abe recently offered to meet Kim without preconditions in an effort to restore diplomatic ties.
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