Japan PM: 'I have great confidence in Trump'

[EC]

Note: Ignore title and first part of the article, we already have a thread on the Romney meeting here. The meat is part way down the page and has been excerpted here for your pleasure I'm posting this because it includes details of another meeting.

Trump plans meeting with former critic Mitt Romney as transition outreach broadens

---snip---

The news came as Trump’s transition to power kicked into higher gear. Transition officials were expected to fan out across federal agencies, and Trump prepared for an important meeting with Japan’s prime minister.

The 5 p.m. session with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump’s first with a foreign leader since the election, has raised questions among some in Washington’s foreign policy community because Trump has apparently not been briefed by the State Department. Officials said Wednesday that the transition team has not reached out to State.

A former State Department official said such a meeting with a foreign leader would normally be preceded by numerous briefings from key diplomats, which is considered especially important here because the Japanese are concerned about comments Trump made on the campaign trail. The president-elect repeatedly said that Japan should pay more for its own defense and be less reliant on the United States.

[Japan’s prime minister hopes to start building ‘trusting relationship’ with Trump]

“The world does not stop for the transition,’’ said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak freely. Trump “would want an intelligence briefing. You’d probably want to get briefed on what’s what happening in the region.’’

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-transition-kicks-into-higher-gear-as-president-elect-plans-to-meet-with-japanese-prime-minister-abe/2016/11/17/86147ea8-ac4a-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html

Thread title changed to that of the BBC report. This is to prevent duplicates being posted, nothing more. - Mod2

[Longmire]

Sounds like Mr. Trump isn't relying on advice or protocols of the career synchophants at the State Dept.

Good for him...

[Right_in_Virginia]

Japan PM: 'I have great confidence in Trump'
BBC News, November 27, 2016

Japan's PM Shinzo Abe has said he has "great confidence" in US President-elect Donald Trump and he believes they can build a relationship of trust.

Mr Abe described the 90-minute meeting in Trump Tower, New York, as "candid", with a "warm atmosphere".

***
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Abe said: "We were able to have a very candid talk over a substantial amount of time. We held it in a very warm atmosphere.

"I do believe that without confidence between the two nations the alliance would never function in the future and as the outcome of today's discussion I am convinced Mr Trump is a leader in whom I can have great confidence in."





http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38021814

[EC]

Thank you, RiV. Beat me to it by about 3 minutes.   

[Right_in_Virginia]

Thank you, RiV. Beat me to it by about 3 minutes.   

Great minds ...    

[EC]

It's an important meeting, with what is going on in the South China Sea. Should be posted.