By CGTN's Owen Fairclough
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's US trip could be dubbed "the golf summit". Two keen players - the Japanese Prime Minister and Trump will tee off at the US President's Florida golf course this weekend.
The two countries are steadfast allies. And if the best deals are made on the fairways, this visit should be uncomplicated. But there are problems.
Golf diplomacy runs in Shinzo Abe's family. His grandfather, Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi teed off against US President Dwight Eisenhower. 60 years later, the current Japanese Prime Minister will do the same with Donald Trump at the US President's Florida resort.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe arrive ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, February 9, 2017. /VCG Photo
"I'm looking forward to playing golf and having dinner with four people, including President Trump and his wife, in Florida," said Abe.
Abe is visiting Japan's most important ally - their mutual defense pact forged after they fought each other in the Second World War.
Abe was the first foreign leader to meet Trump after his election victory and is only the second to visit him at the White House.
"Japan-US economic relations were win-win relations and will develop together as win-win relations from now on, too. We will develop the two countries' economies based on free and fair rules. I want to hold a summit during which I can confirm that," Abe noted.
This file photo shows Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a meeting with then US president-elect Donald Trump in New York, US, on November 17, 2017. /VCG Photo
But those free and fair rules are the sticking point. Trump's protectionist “America First” trade policy is problematic for free trade in Japan. He's pulled the US out of a Pacific free trade deal while accusing Tokyo of devaluing its currency to benefit its exporters at the expense of US firms who want to sell in the other direction.
"If, as an example, we sell a car into Japan and they do things to us that make it impossible to sell cars in Japan, and yet they sell cars into US, and they come in like by the hundreds of thousands, on the biggest ships I've ever seen, we have to all talk about that," said Trump.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe arrive ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, February 9, 2017. /VCG Photo
Japan denies devaluing the yen but trade isn't the only complication.
"As a candidate, Trump hinted he'd pull US troops out of Japan over costs at a time when it's locked in ongoing territorial disputes over sovereignty of disputed islands. But White House officials insist the administration is committed to an unwavering alliance," said CGTN reporter Owen Fairclough.
And Abe comes with a more valuable gift than the gold golf club he gave Trump on his last visit - a pledge to help create American jobs with investment in a huge infrastructure plan. That may be enough to keep relations out of the rough.
