Trump says U.S. stands with Japan against North Korean ‘menace’

UNITED States (U.S.) President Donald Trump said yesterday that America stood with close ally Japan against the North Korean “menace” and that Washington would work with Tokyo to sort out problems on trade between the world’s biggest and thirdlargest economies.

Speaking after a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Trump repeated his mantra the “era of strategic patience” with North Korea was over, and that the two countries were working to counter the “dangerous aggressions” of the North Korean regime, which has fired two rockets over Japan.

He said that Japan would shoot North Korean missiles “out of the sky” after completing purchases of U.S. military equipment. Abe, for his part, said Tokyo would do so “if necessary”.

Trump also pressed Japan to lower its trade deficit with the U.S. and buy more U.S. military hardware, but Abe dodged questions about the trade deficit.

The U.S. president is on the second day of a 12-day Asian trip that is focusing on trade and North Korea’s nuclear missile programs.

“Most importantly, we’re working to counter the dangerous aggressions of the regime in North Korea,” Trump said, calling Pyongyang’s nuclear tests and recent launches of ballistic missiles over Japan “a threat to the civilized world and to international peace and stability”.

“Some people said that my rhetoric is very strong. But look what’s happened with very weak rhetoric over the last 25 years. Look where we are right now,” he added.

North Korea’s recent actions have raised the stakes in the most critical international challenge of Trump’s presidency.

Abe has made resolving the emotive abductions issue a keystone of his career. The families hope their talks with Trump - the third U.S. president they have met - will somehow contribute to a breakthrough, although experts say progress is unlikely.

Abe also expressed his condolences for the victims of a gunman who massacred at least 26 worshippers at a church in Texas.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump had no plans to change the schedule for his 12-day Asian trip, which will also take him to Seoul, Beijing and Danang, Vietnam.