President Donald Trump arrives Monday in Japan where new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is banking on building a friendly personal relationship with the US leader to ease trade tensions.
The meeting is an early diplomatic test for Takaichi, the first woman to lead Japan. She took office only last week, and has a tenuous coalition backing her.
Trump spent Sunday in Malaysia, where he participated in a regional summit.
Trump said he would talk about the “great friendship” between the US and Japan during his visit.
“I hear phenomenal things” about the new Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Trump said. He noted her closeness with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump had a good relationship during his first term.
