Trump concludes Japan visit

President Donald Trump is departing Tuesday after a four-day visit to Japan. He was the first foreign leader to meet with Emperor Naruhito since he took the throne on May 1. On Monday, Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. At a joint news conference, the president said the two countries want a Korean Peninsula without nuclear weapons.

Trump broke with U.S. national security adviser John Bolton’s assessment that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had violated UN sanctions this month with recent missile tests. “Perhaps [Kim Jong Un] wants to get attention and perhaps not,” Trump said. “Who knows? It doesn’t matter. All I know is that there have been no nuclear tests. There have been no ballistic missiles going out. There have been no long-range missiles going out.” Bolton had called for maintained sanctions on North Korea following the missile tests. North Korea on Monday called Bolton a “war monger.” The president said he remains hopeful that he can work out a nuclear deal with Pyongyang.

Trump also said he is open to Abe acting as a mediator between the United States and Iranian leaders amid rising tension in the Middle East and that the Japanese prime minister has a “very good relationship with Iran.” The president also made clear that the United States is not pursuing regime change in Iran.

Trump’s itinerary included attending a sumo wrestling match with Abe and his wife, Akie, a golf game with Abe, and an imperial banquet. He also visited a Japanese warship that is undergoing renovations to carry American-made fighter jets. Japan is set to buy 100 F-35 stealth fighter jets, the largest fleet the United States has ever sold to any country. Trump encouraged Japan to purchase more U.S. products, calling the trade deficit deficit with Japan “unbelievably large.”