Donald Trump last night offered an unexpected diplomatic olive branch to North Korea, indicating he would "certainly be open" to sitting down for personal talks with Kim Jong-un.

In an interview broadcast in the US shortly after he arrived in Tokyo at the start of a marathon 12-day Asia tour, Mr Trump said it would be "not a bad thing" to meet the dictator.

He said: "I would sit down with anybody. I don't think it's strength or weakness, I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing.