In Japan, Trump seeks new trade deal
Texas shooting called ‘act of evil’
TOKYO — President Donald Trump began his second day in Japan by pushing for stronger, more equitable economic ties between the allies, yet his message in Asia was threatened to be overshadowed by a tragic shooting back home.
Today, Trump called the Texas church shooting “an act of evil,” denounced the violence in “a place of sacred worship” and pledged the full support of the federal government.
He then shifted back to his message to a group of American and Japanese business leaders: the United States was open for business, but he wanted to reshape the nations’ trade relationship.
“For the last many decades, Japan has been winning” the trade relationship, Trump said. “The U.S. has suffered massive trade deficits with Japan for many years.”
Trump downplayed the potentially contentious nature of the negotiations, though the Japanese government has not shown much appetite for striking a new bilateral trade agreement. Tokyo had pushed to preserve the Trans- Pacific Partnership, which Trump has abandoned.
Later today, Trump will highlight the specter of North Korea and try to put a human face on its menace, hearing from anguished families of Japanese citizens snatched by Pyongyang’s agents. The meeting, the White House hopes, will elevate these heart-wrenching tales of loss to the international stage as he hopes to pressure North Korea to end its provocative behavior toward American allies in the region.