Trump tweets dislike for TPP trade pact

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands as they hold a joint press conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 18, 2018.

"We will be doing everything possible to make it a worldwide success", he said.

Trump took credit for the inter-Korean talks, saying, "Without us and without me, in particular, I guess you would have to say, they wouldn't be discussing anything". Five of the 17 were returned home in 2002, but North Korea maintains eight have died and the other four were never in the country. But the focus certainly was moved away from US-China trade talks. We are negotiating now. He also said that the U.S. is "buying a lot of cars and a lot of other things from Japan". "We are in there and we are working very hard on that". Yesterday, Trump said that meeting will come "very soon".

Moon received an invitation for a summit in North Korea but sent diplomats instead.

"We have to get it together. It will be a great day for the world", he said.

The two men conferred about the matter Tuesday alongside top national security aides.

Curiously missing from the official schedule is time for hitting the links; golf was where Trump and Abe first bonded.

"While Japan and South Korea would like us to go back into TPP, I don't like the deal for the United States", Trump tweeted, following a dinner with Abe and their wives.

But tensions were visible.

Trade issues are expected to be on the agenda for the second day of talks on Wednesday.

Arimoto said he wants Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to continue pushing North Korea to return the abductees through public statements on Japan's unshakable position. Among the points of discussion will be negotiations between the United States and North Korea and the recent visit to North Korea by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Asked by a reporter if he had spoken with Mr Kim, Mr Trump said "Yes" but later clarified that there had been "direct talks at very high levels, extremely high levels, with North Korea". Those diplomats then personally delivered to Trump an offer for a meeting with Kim, which the president accepted. Both are avid golfers, and the president started his Asia work trip past year by playing rounds with Shinzo Abe in Japan.

Under an agreement brokered in Stockholm in May 2014, North Korea undertook to reinvestigate all abductions of Japanese citizens in what appeared to be a significant breakthrough.