Japan PM Abe discusses resignation with Trump, thanks him for US support

TOKYO, Aug 31, 2020, Kyodo. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about his decision to resign while thanking him for helping make the Japan-U.S. relationship “the strongest it has ever been,” the Japanese government said, Kyodo News reported.

It was Abe’s first phone call with a foreign leader since he abruptly announced his resignation on Friday, citing relapse of ulcerative colitis, an intestinal disease that can cause stomach pain and diarrhea. Abe just a week ago achieved the longest uninterrupted stint as premier in the country’s history.

Abe is expected to make a similar call to Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day.

During the 30-minute conversation, Abe and Trump discussed North Korea’s abduction of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and Japan’s plans to renew its missile defense strategy, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference.

Trump tweeted after the call that Abe is a “special man” who will “soon be recognized as the greatest Prime Minister in the history of Japan, whose relationship with the USA is the best it has ever been.”

The two men built a rapport since Trump came to power in 2017 and have played several rounds of golf together. “The two leaders said they look forward to continuing their wonderful friendship for years to come!” the White House said in a statement.

Abe will remain in office until his successor is chosen. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, led by Abe, is considering holding a leadership election on Sept. 14, party lawmakers said.

The prime minister assured Trump whoever succeeds him will be committed to strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance, according to a Japanese official.

The abduction issue has been one of Abe’s main focuses, though he has struggled to make progress toward a resolution despite Trump raising the matter in summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Abe asked Trump for continued U.S. support on Japan’s efforts to resolve the issue with North Korea, the official said.

The two leaders also agreed that their nations will cooperate on the development of a vaccine and treatment for the coronavirus which has ravaged the global economy. The pandemic has led to the deaths of more than 845,000 people worldwide, according to John’s Hopkins University.