Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to talk infrastructure in 'tweetable' terms with President Trump
What do you give the man who has everything? Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe might have just solved this riddle. Upon visiting the "Winter White House" in Florida on Friday, Abe plans to present President Donald Trump with a "tweetable" figure, the Financial Times reports.
The figure will pertain to Japanese companies' plans to invest in the United States, intending "to counter the president's criticisms about trade" and "head off tensions about … the cost of maintaining U.S. forces in Japan," the Financial Times writes.
"The most important thing is to reconfirm the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship in politics, economics, and security," said Sadayuki Sakakibara, the chairman of Japan's Keidanren economic organization.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Abe is reportedly pushing public investment groups to dedicate money to U.S. infrastructure projects — a campaign promise of Trump's — including high-speed rail. Abe will likely promote shinkansen rail technology for connecting Dallas and Houston or Los Angeles and San Francisco. Former President Barack Obama had expressed little interest in such projects.
Afterward, Abe and Trump plan to go golfing.
A free daily email with the day’s biggest news and analysis – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.