After their buddy-buddy time over the weekend,... U.S. President Donald Trump is about to get down to the real business of his trip to Japan,... holding a wide-ranging summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Earlier in the day, Trump met with Japan's new emperor Naruhito.
For more details,... we have our Kim Ji-yeon on the line.
Ji-yeon...
As you mentioned, on the third-day of his four-day state visit to Japan... President Trump met Japan's new emperor Naruhito for the first time since Naruhito ascended to the throne on May 1st.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were greeted with a royal welcoming ceremony.
This is Donald Trump and Melania's second official trip to Japan since their first in November 2017.
As you mentioned, Jiyoon, President Trump has just started his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
After that he's scheduled to meet with the families of Japanese abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s.
President Trump will then be the guest of honor at a banquet hosted by the Japanese emperor at the Imperial Palace.
This, after he holds in a joint news conference with Prime Minister Abe.
There's going to be a lot of attention on that news conference. How likely is it that the two leaders will address some of the uncertainties between the two sides... particularly those regarding trade?
We'll have to wait and see.
Both leaders want to forge an economic pact following President Trump's withdrawal from the multinational Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.
Trade issues were suggested to be one of the sticking points during the state visit.
President Trump hinted as such upon landing in Japan amid his repeated calls for higher tariffs on imported vehicles, including Japanese automobiles.
But after spending about two-and-a-half hours playing golf on Sunday, President Trump had tweeted a trade deal could come after Japan's parliamentary elections in July.
This will come as a relief to Prime Minister Abe who doesn't want the results of the deal to impact the local election.
Trump said he anticipated big numbers in trade negotiations with Japan and that the U.S. is making (quote)"great progress" on this front.
So that leaves security and defense issues... namely those related to the denuclearization of North Korea....
Right.
We could expect some progress on that front... with the two countries expected to highlight their togetherness on the North Korean denuclearization issue.
As we've reported,... President Trump is pushing for a 'big deal' that affirms the final, fully verified denuclearization of the regime.
For South Korea, it may pose a challenge to President Moon Jae-in's role as a mediator between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump... as Prime Minister Abe broadens his influence.
Before President Trump departs for Washington, he will inspect a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter carrier at the Yokosuka naval base... ensuring the final focus of his visit is the close military
