President Donald Trump stated on Friday it will be possible that the United States and Japan could attain a whole new bilateral trade deal by the point he visits Tokyo in May, but he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe quoted areas where they not look like on trade.

Trump and Abe organized one-on-one talks in the Oval Office prior to a White House dinner to celebrate the birthday of Trump’s wife, Melania. While making development in negotiations with China on a new trade deal, Trump clarified he wants to label a new agreement with Japan early as well.

Abe’s visit, which is to involve a round of golf on Saturday with Trump, is to establish the stage for a visit to Japan that Trump is taking in late May to rejoice over Crown Prince Naruhito’s turning into the new emperor of Japan.

Trump proclaimed that he and Abe might take in a sumo wrestling match at the time of the trip to Tokyo.

Naruhito is about to become Japan’s emperor on May 1. He will assume the throne after his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicates on April 30.

Trump stated negotiators for the United States and Japan are building progress in his drive to rebalance their trade relationship in such a way that decreases persistent US trade deficits with Japan.

“I think it can go fairly quickly. Maybe by the time I’m over there. Maybe we sign it over there. But it’s moving along very nicely and we’ll see what happens,” Trump stated regarding the trade deal.

A senior Japanese government official informed Reuters after the Oval Office meetings that “based upon the trust between the two countries,” the two leaders “agreed to accelerate the discussions in order to achieve an early result on Japan-US trade talks.”

However, areas of tension surfaced throughout their session with the press. Trump mentioned Japanese tariffs on American agricultural products as an irritant, and also Abe pointed out US tariffs on Japanese automobiles.

“We’ll be discussing very strongly agriculture because, as the prime minister knows, Japan puts very massive tariffs on our agriculture…and we want to get rid of those tariffs,” Trump stated.

Trump made thoroughly clean that he is unhappy with Japan’s trade surplus with the United States – much of it from automobile exports – and wants a two-way trade to change it.

Abe highlighted that while Japan has no tariffs on American automobiles, “the United States has put on 2.5% tariffs on Japanese autos,” and also said he would probably prefer to proceed towards a “mutually beneficial outcome” in the trade negotiations.

Trump stated he felt it was possible to workout a long-term trade deal with Japan. “We are trying to bring some balance to the surplus that they have with the United States for many, many years, but it’ll all work out,” he stated.

Indo-Pacific,Reiwa & more

The senior Japanese government official stated the two leaders agreed that the governments will organize closely with one another and with South Korea to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea. He stated Abe thanked Trump for double raising the issue of Japanese abductees held in North Korea at the time of his February summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The official said Abe together with Trump also agreed to enrich the “deterrence and capabilities” of the US-Japan alliance and reaffirmed their objective to join hands further to ensure a “free and open Indo-Pacific” zone.

Seeking over to the June 28-29 Group of 20 conference in Osaka, the two consented to find a summit agreement on key issues, including trade, the digital economy, the issue of maritime plastic waste, infrastructure investment, and women’s empowerment, said the officer, who would not want to be otherwise determined.

In the Oval Office, Trump joked that once Abe originally invited him to Tokyo as the first official guest after the new emperor takes over, he was not sure he might attend.

“I said, ‘Gee I don’t know if I can make it. Let me ask you a question. How big is that event compared to the Super Bowl, for the Japanese? And the prime minister said, It’s about 100 times bigger. I said, I’ll be there, if that’s the case, I’ll be there,” Trump stated.

Abe asserted Japan will enter a new era, to be called Reiwa, on May 1 when the Japanese crown prince accedes to the throne. He stated Trump and the first lady would be the first state guests of the new era.

“This state visit will show both inside and outside that still under the new era, Reiwa, the bonds between Japan and the United States under our alliance will remain unwavering. And also we will demonstrate our strong commitment to addressing various challenges that we see in the international community,” Abe asserted by means of a translator.