US President Donald Trump has assured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Washington remains committed to defending the eastern Asian ally against aggression from China and North Korea.
In a joint press conference with Abe after meeting him at the White House on Friday, Trump dropped his harsh campaign rhetoric against Japan and embraced the long-running defense agreement with Tokyo.
“We’re committed to the security of Japan,” he said. “The bond between our two nations and the friendship between our two peoples runs very, very deep. This administration is committed to bringing those ties even closer.”
Trump reassured Abe that the defense pact included the disputed Senkaku islands, over which both Japan and China have claimed sovereignty.
The pair said in a statement that “They oppose any unilateral action that seeks to undermine Japan’s administration of these islands.”
Under the US-Japan security treaty, Washington is obligated to defend…