Donald Trump says Japan will buy US hardware to shoot North Korean missiles 'out of the sky'
United States president Donald Trump said on Monday that Japan will be able to shoot North Korean missiles “out of the sky” after buying billions of dollars worth of American military equipment.
Directly linking trade and security issues, Mr Trump was speaking on the second day of his Asia visit following a summit in Tokyo with his ally and new best political friend Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister.
In addition to repeating his mantra that the “era of strategic patience” with North Korea was over, Mr Trump also pressed Japan to lower its trade deficit with the US and purchase more of its sophisticated military hardware.
Referring to North Korean missiles, Mr Trump told reporters: “He (Abe) will shoot them out of the sky when he completes the purchase of lots of additional military equipment from the United States.
“The prime minister is going to be purchasing massive amounts of military equipment, as he should. And we make the best military equipment by far.”
In response, Mr Abe added that his country was currently capable of intercepting missiles from North Korea “if necessary” and confirmed that he was looking into a potential arms deal with his close military ally.
Mr Trump has made no secret of his hardline stance against North Korea due to its flagrant defiance of UN Security Council sanctions as it pursues its nuclear weapons and missile development programme.
Earlier in his Tokyo trip, Mr Trump reportedly expressed his disbelief that Japan had not tapped into its “samurai” spirit and shot down two North Korean missiles that flew over the country before landing in the Pacific Ocean earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Pyongyang was quick to respond to Mr Trump’s visit to Japan, with its state media accusing the US president earlier of driving tensions “to the extremes”, stating that “no one can predict when the lunatic old man of the White House, lost to senses, will start a nuclear war”.
Mr Trump arrived in Japan on Sunday on the first leg of his highly anticipated five-country Asia tour, which kicked off with a seemingly leisurely day of bonding with Mr Abe while playing golf, swapping gifts and eating hamburgers.
Day two, however, took on a more serious note. Trade emerged as one of the few areas of potential contention between the two strong allies, with Mr Trump accusing Japan of unfair trade practices.
Addressing business leaders gathered at the US ambassador’s residence in Tokyo, Mr Trump said trade with Japan was neither free nor reciprocal, highlighting his desire to renegotiate bilateral trade relations.
Trump in Japan
“The United States has suffered massive trade deficits with Japan for many, many years, almost $70 billion annually,” said Mr Trump.
“We want fair and open trade, but right now our trade with Japan is not fair and it's not open,” he said. “But I know it will be soon.”
North Korea remained high on the agenda, with the president also attending an emotional meeting with relatives of Japanese abducted by Pyongyang to train their spies.
Profile | Shinzō Abe
Among them were the parents and twin brothers of Megumi Yokota, who was 13 when she was kidnapped by North Korean agents while walking home from school 40 years ago.
Following the meeting, Mr Trump told reporters: “We’ll work together and see if we can do something, now the spotlight is on.”
He added: “Perhaps the regime itself would send them back. I think it would be a tremendous signal if Kim Jong-un would send them back.”
Perhaps surprisingly for a president famed for his outspoken comments and accidental gaffes while visiting a society famed for its delicate cultural nuances, the rest of the day appeared to pass smoothly for Mr Trump.
The president earlier survived the trickiest of protocol tests when he met the Japanese emperor – and circumvented potential controversy by giving him a firm nod and handshake.
Mr Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama was widely mocked by right wing critics for bowing deeply when he met the emperor in 2009 in an apparent breach of presidential protocol of not deferring to royalty.
Meanwhile, one moment of levity occurred when Mr Abe and Mr Trump were captured on camera delicately spooning fish food into a historic pond of koi carp in Tokyo’s Akasaka Palace – before apparently running out of patience as both dumped the entire contents of their fish food boxes into the water.
The evening was likely to continue with further mirth as Mr Trump was scheduled to be serenaded at a state banquet by the quirky Japanese popstar Pikotaro, reportedly a favourite of his granddaughter.
Mr Trump was due to bid farewell to Mr Abe, golf diplomacy and Japanese pop performances on Tuesday – and flying onto Seoul for potentially more sombre meetings with South Korean president Moon Jae-in and a visit to Camp Humphreys, a major new military hub for 28,500 US forces just south of the capital.
