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© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Trump, Abe play a round of golf diplomacy
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Arrrgh-Type
Right, let's go to Japan and eat.... Hamburgers??
fxgai
Looking forward to the post-dinner gossip about how the wives went. Akie seemingly let the team down last time.
ebisen
I don't really like Trump, but given his money, he could eat the best Japanese food existing, everyday, breakfast, lunch and dinner, in US, if he REALLY wanted to. No need to fly all the way to Japan only to do that. So hamburgers are just as good as choice... I'm sure they were not McDonald's 100 JPY burgers either...
fxgai
They used American beef in the hamburgers.
It’s just a political appeal to pretend Japan is importing lots of US beef.
Laguna
Various news reports have described the strict rules governing dietary requirements due to Trump's visit (my favorite: "No fish with heads attached.") Doubtless the lunch came from his own chef, so it was really Abe eating "American food."
smithinjapan
""Donald and Shinzo: Make Alliance Even Greater."
I wonder... when Abe pulls his nose out of Trump's butt to settle down in his lap, can he still smell normally? He's making Japan look like a laughing stock. And how many times did Trump complain about Obama playing golf "instead of doing his job"? Better yet, first, how many times comparatively speaking, have the two played golf on the job by comparison before remembering Trump and many posters on here complained about that?
sandiegoluv
Very good and true smithinjapan!!!
daito_hak
I am trying to figure out how low an IQ should be in order that people end up holding love signs towards a intellectually limited man like Trump.....
mmwkdw
Dinner where ? Gonpachi ? or hosted privately somewhere secretive ?
mmwkdw
9 -10 Helicopters flying overhead in central Tokyo this afternoon - wonder how they managed not to collide, but I guess Trump was heading to the US Embassy near to Roppongi.
When the British PM came... you'd never have known.
Mike Wyckoff
ugh, get a room already!
Christopher Glen
The posters make me laugh
toshiko
It īs winter in Japan. Air Force 1 arrived to Yokota and American soldiers welcomed. He spoke from his he head. But he did not mispronounce the names of Japanese officials who welcomed him.
toshiko
There must be a reason he went Japan first, not S. Korea.
Mike Wyckoff
yup, it's closer, and has bigger ass-kissers
Ryder
President Trump, working to make the world great again. And asking nothing in exchange. We are witnessing history, as North Korea will soon be freed from the despots.
smithinjapan
toshiko: "There must be a reason he went Japan first, not S. Korea."
The first reason is to get it out of the way. Meeting Abe and coming to Japan is not as important or difficult an issue as when he goes to South Korea to discuss SERIOUS matters. All he has to do in Japan is say something to Abe, and Abe will say "yes sir" and kiss Trump's bottom... doesn't matter what it is. The ONLY thing Trump wanted to do was play golf and discuss future arms sales. When he goes to South Korea it is going to be a lot more difficult as they don't kiss his butt like Abe does, and the issue of North Korea is of a lot more concern in South Korea, and there is a LOT more at stake. Same with when he goes to China -- he is going to have some very serious, and very more crucial negotiations. The President of China isn't a yes-man like Abe, and they differ on many things politically.
And then there's the obvious geographic reasons; Japan being an island nation it is very easy to go there first, then the Asian continent (mainland) for visiting a few countries from China to South Korea, and Vietnam. Do you think it makes more sense to go to South Korea, then fly across to Japan then back to the mainland again to visit China (or vice-versa)?
Miyam_Musashi
A round of golf with Matsuyama at one of Japan's best golf courses. Great way to reciprocate for the royal treatment at Mar-a-Lago and to set the right tone for talks.
When the detractors get riled up, Trump and Abe must be doing something right.
Wallace Fred
Hmm, wheres the news about the anti-trump rally in Shibuya? Its absence is pretty telling me thinks.
Moderator: See Picture of the Day.
Alexandre T. Ishii
The formula of this meeting:NK(Trump+Abe) - :D = Dark Ages
Texas A&M Aggie
Great lead photo with this article.
The left yammers on and on that global leaders don't respect President Trump. Then again, they think Iran, NK, Cuba and Venezuela, constitute the entire world. . . .
Toasted Heretic
Unfortunately, Trump and his deluded entourage seem to be under the impression that they are the makers and shakers of this fragile planet.
A game of golf to decide its future.
We; the little people don't matter a damn. Maybe we should stop caddying for these amateurs.
smithinjapan
miyam_musashi: "A round of golf with Matsuyama at one of Japan's best golf courses. Great way to reciprocate for the royal treatment at Mar-a-Lago and to set the right tone for talks."
Yes, treating one to a game of golf instead of talking about the issues that affect 99.9% of the people of both nations and the world IS with a game of golf, but both games are ridiculous to begin with. Have a game, on behalf of the world, when you make it a better place; not when you engage in bombast, making it worse, and then even before you meet to discuss your next moves to alienate nations even further.
Wallace Fred
I stand corrected.
bass4funk
Not at all.
And?
clamenza
Japan loves President Trump!
OssanAmerica
Really funny photo. Thanks for the laugh!
clamenza
And that it, Bass. Just more complaining in the echo chambers..
25psot
Japan U-turn on Trump very surprising.
Jimizo
Bass has evidence proving Obama played more golf. He said so. I asked him for a link but he said I’d dismiss it as partisan.
You have a try.
garypen
Or, exactly the opposite.
garypen
You don't often see a sentence with the words "Trump" and "diplomacy".
plasticmonkey
How much does this golfing and cheeseburgering and Mikimoto-ing and schmoozing cost taxpayers? Because nothing will come of it. Nothing.
IloveCoffee
People really need to stop speaking on behalf of others.
gokai_wo_maneku
It seems odd to me that Ivanka comes to Tokyo and then leaves the day before her father arrives. What a festival it would have been to have them all here at once eating together at some famous restaurant. Are they not speaking to each other?
Jtsnose
Beautiful . . . looks like the two countries will have a great friendship.
Kirei . . . mimasu Nihon to Hokubei tomodachi mirai desu.
Bill Wright
The President’s Asian trip will be to address the following;
1) Reaffirm the United States commitment to our Asian allies.
2) Address trade issues.
3) China’s expansion in the Westren Pacific. and
4) the continuing North Korean nuclear threat.
To suggest anything else is Ludacris and without merit.
dcog9065
It’s good that these 2 have such a close relationship. The previous administrations were changing so fast, no strong long term relationships could be formed.
It looks like Trump will be given a good trip
smithinjapan
bass4funk: "And?"
Well, at least you don't deny the sheer hypocrisy. That's a baby step, I guess. Good on you, bass. Of course, It's... what... already in one year Trump has spent ten times on the golf course that Obama spent in his entire two terms, so that's hypocrisy compound by 80 times or so.
peterl
Trump spends more time playing golf than working. Whatever happened to his empty promises of spending more time at the White House and actually working. All he's done is spend more tax payer's money in the short time he's been in office than any other president before him.
CaptDingleheimer
Saw the photo and knew I had to come straight to the comments to see everyone losing their minds!
toshiko
Hamburgers are really considered gourmet meal in Japan. Kobe beef filet minions get ground. In Japan teriyaki beef is just supper beef but in Vegas, Teriyaki beef is served as gourmet beef.
Dirk T
Does Abe really have an alternative to developing a close relationship with Trump with Russosphere and Sinosphere enlarging their influence?
Jim Wilson
It looks like Trump and Abe truly like each other!
smithinjapan
toshiko: "Hamburgers are really considered gourmet meal in Japan"
It's kind of like the "simple is best" that becomes oxymoronic when you get a pizza covered in corn, chicken, tomato and teriyaki sauce, kalbi, and mayonnaise. There is nothing "gourmet" about a hamburger, between pieces of bread or on a plate. And grinding up a filet mignon should be a crime, especially Kobe beef.
"Japan teriyaki beef is just supper beef but in Vegas, Teriyaki beef is served as gourmet beef."
There's also a 'samurai burger' at many McDonald's abroad which is teriyaki. Are you telling us that McDonald's is gourmet, too?
peterl: "All he's done is spend more tax payer's money in the short time he's been in office than any other president before him."
And with his tax breaks that will see the middle class paying more and giving himself and other billionaires a tax break by cutting the real estate tax, we'll be paying even more for him to waste our money and the time he is supposed to be working.
toshiko
Yokota soldiers and their wives were enjoying meeting President and Melanie. Meanwhile US video news channels ignored Kim and his family video yesterday.
starpunk
You have GOT to be kidding here! Does Japan really love and welcome that immoral uncouth dirtbag? And that circle w/ a cross symbol on the left guy's purplish jacket - that resembles symbols used by Aryan 'white power' racist/KKK terrorist filth groups in the U.S.A. I'm deeply disappointed that anyone in Japan would even have anything to do with this warmonger especially since the Japanese have made great strides after their totalitarian regime fell in 1945. Now this. Sad sad SAD.
Akie
Abe loves Trump, he has to, he is the leader, the boss. Diplomacy ? hardly.
Dukeleto
daito_hakNov. 5 06:24 pm JST
It’s just “rent-a-crowd” being paid by the hour. Nothing wrong with them intellectually, they just needed the work.
daito_hak
That would be even worse, they get paid to be stupid.
OssanAmerica
Yes people, one photograph determines how all Japanese think about Trump. I understand there was also an anti-Trump demo somewhere that didn't get covered here.
Akie
Trump is loved for "America first". Why can't Abe do that ? Is Abe genuine or what ?
runner3
Nice game of gulf beore war! People put the signs down this crazy man is going to ruin Japan!
mukashiyokatta
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen -- roll on, Mr. Mueller!
clamenza
Ironic statement of the year!
aemit2
Nice pictures.
I kinda wonder what the "full of spirited conversation" consisted of :)
goldeneagle
Who say's people in Japan don't change. They just went from hating Trump to loving him in less than a year.