Man on a mission
Donald Trump arrives at the US Yokota air base in Japan. The president, pictured with wife Melania, began his marathon 12-day Asian tour by offering an olive branch to North Korea.
DONALD TRUMP last night offered an unexpected diplomatic olive branch to North Korea, indicating he would “certainly be open” to sitting down for talks with Kim Jong-un.
In an interview broadcast in the US shortly after he arrived in Tokyo at the start of a marathon 12-day Asia tour, Mr Trump said it would be “not a bad thing” to meet the dictator.
He said: “I would sit down with anybody. I don’t think it’s strength or weakness, I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing. So I would certainly be open to doing that.”
Mr Trump’s remarks came as Pentagon officials released a stark new assessment that the only way to neutralise North Korea’s nuclear weapon sites “with complete certainty” would be through a ground invasion.
In a letter to members of Congress, Rear Admiral Michael J Dumont, vice director of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, also warned that, in a conflict, North Korea might use biological weapons, including “nerve, blister, blood and choking agents”.
Mr Trump also confirmed he would almost certainly meet with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, on the sidelines of a summit in Vietnam later in his trip and seek his support for reining in North Korean leader Kim’s regime.
The US president said: “I think it’s expected we’ll meet with Putin, yeah, we want Putin’s help on North Korea. And we’ll be meeting with a lot of different leaders.”
In Tokyo, Mr Trump played nine holes of golf with Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, and Hideki Matsuyama, the world’s No 3 golfer.
On Twitter, he called Mr Abe a “marvellous friend” and said they had a “spirited conversation” on the course.
Mr Abe served Mr Trump hamburgers for lunch and the two men signed caps that said “Donald and Shinzo Make Alliance Even Greater”.
Late yesterday, Mr Trump faced a more delicate diplomatic task as he and Melania Trump, the First Lady, were due to meet Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
Officials in Japan, home to a culture that is deeply rooted in rituals and customs, were reportedly feeling wary of how Mr Trump would handle the meeting. Since becoming president, Mr Trump has turned heads with unusual greetings, ranging from an interminable handshake with President Macron of France to an awkward hand-clutching incident with Theresa May.