Trump breaks with Abe; says he's not bothered by N Korean missile tests

May 28, 2019 | News On Japan

May 28, 2019 (Japan Today) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he is not "personally" bothered by recent short-range missile tests that North Korea conducted this month, breaking with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is hosting the president on four-day state visit full of pageantry.

Standing beside Trump at a news conference after hours of talks, Abe disagreed with the U.S. president, saying the missile tests violated U.N. Security Council resolutions and were "of great regret." Abe, who has forged a strong friendship with Trump and agrees with him on many issues, is concerned because the short-range missiles pose a threat to Japan's security.

Trump was invited to Japan to be the first world leader to meet with its new emperor . Despite being far from Washington, he didn't miss the chance to lob another broadside against former Vice President Joe Biden, one of the Democrats seeking to challenge Trump in next year's presidential election. North Korea's Kim Jong Un recently criticized Biden as having a low IQ, and Trump told the world he agreed with the authoritarian leader's assessment.

The visit was designed to highlight the U.S.-Japan alliance and showcase the warm relations between the leaders. Trump said he and Abe deliberated over economic issues, including trade and Iran, during hours of talks at the Akasaka Palace, but North Korea's recent firing of short-range missiles emerged as an area of disagreement.

When asked if he was bothered by the missile tests, Trump said: "No, I'm not. I am personally not."

The Republican president has sought to downplay the significance of the missile tests, even though his own national security adviser, John Bolton, said over the weekend that they violated U.N. resolutions.

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