(Image via Twitter)
President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a joint news conference at the White House on Friday.
Shinzo Abe praised Trump as an “excellent businessman” who, despite never having held public office, “fought the uphill struggle” to become President of the United States.
"I would like to celebrate and congratulate Donald being sworn in as the president," said Abe.
“You are an excellent businessman but you have never been in the Congress, been a governor, in public office, but you have fought the uphill struggle and fight for more than a year … to become the president,” he said.
The Japanese Prime Minister told reporters that he expects “major scale infrastructure” efforts under Trump, as well as productive trade agreements between their two governments.
He added that Japan and the U.S. "will cooperate in the fight against terrorism."
Trump similarly praised Abe during his remarks.
He called the U.S.-Japan alliance the “cornerstone of peace and stability in the Pacific region,” adding that both nations will work together to ensure “freedom of navigation” and “defending against the North Korean missile and nuclear threat.”
Trump and Abe will spend the weekend together at the “Winter White House” in Mar-a-Lago, Fla., where Trump said he expects “very, very productive” conversation.
The last time Abe visited the U.S. was on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 of last year with then-President Barack Obama.
Check out a clip from the press conference below.
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