The presence of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the US goes beyond than just meeting and congratulating the new American President. He is out to determine if Donald Trump is a man worthy of trust and confidence.
As it turns out, the new top guy in the Oval Office is dependable. Abe himself has issued the pronouncement. The 90-minute meeting has been organized on a short notice at Manhattan's Trump Tower.
In a statement, the visiting Japanese statesman shares that, in the course of his conversation with the billionaire businessman, he feels that a bond of faith and belief can be built upon to maintain the good relations between the two nations. Since the meeting is not official, Abe has declined to divulge the details.
Japan has been wary about the declarations of the Republican President during the campaign trail. Along the way, Trump has instigated worrisome comments about Tokyo's undertakings.
For instance, the President-elect has demanded that the US gets paid for the presence of American soldiers on Japanese soil. In addition, Trump has objected to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) accord of which Tokyo plays a leading role. It can be recalled that Abe and Obama have been closely coordinating about the progress of the TPP.
Abe's close aide Katsuyuki Kawai shares that he'd been informed by Trump's transition team not take the incoming President's previous pronouncements seriously.
Despite Trump's disturbing words in the past, Abe is looking forward to work with him. The short encounter between the world's top two leaders has been described as cordial and promising.
On the President-elect's Facebook page, the photo of the two has been accompanied by a caption that says, 'It was a pleasure to have Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stop by my home and begin a great friendship.'
Both men have exchanged golf items as gifts.
During the meeting, Abe has been accompanied by an interpreter. Trump's daughter Ivana and her husband Jared Kushner are also present. Joining them is Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn who is being considered for the National Security Adviser post.
The meet-up has come to fruition based on the suggestion of Tomohiko Taniguchi, Abe's Special Adviser, who proposed the idea during a congratulatory call to Trump for winning the presidency.
The Japanese Prime Minister has agreed that the two leaders will meet at a more appropriate or suitable time in order to discuss issues extensively.
Meanwhile, Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway shares that deeper discussions between Japan and the US will have to stay on hold until after the inauguration.
In Tokyo, Finance Minister Taro Aso quips that the two statesmen share the same wavelength considering that their conversation exceeded the afforded time.
