Trump is on a four-day state visit to Japan meant to showcase the alliance between the two nations, but which has also been shadowed by trade tensions.
JAPAN HAD BOUGHT TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF US MILITARY GEAR
Trump explicitly linked trade and security, a connection that disturbs Tokyo, whose alliance with Washington stands at the core of its defense policies. “It’s all a balance sheet thing,” he said. “When I talk about a security threat, I talk about a balance sheet. In order to have $716 billion dollars a year in military expenditures, you have to have a lot of money coming in,” he said, adding that Japan had bought “tremendous amounts” of US military gear.
Abe, who has developed close personal ties with Trump since the US leader came to office, stressed the closeness of ties. “I am determined to demonstrate at home and abroad the very strong bond” he said of the alliance in Japan’s new Reiwa era, which began on May 1 when Emperor Naruhito inherited the throne.
Earlier, Trump was greeted by Naruhito and his Harvard-educated wife at the imperial palace in Tokyo in a formal welcome ceremony broadcast live on national television.