President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE became the first foreign leader to meet with Japan's new emperor at a ceremony in Tokyo on Monday morning.

Trump met Emperor Naruhito at a ceremony full of pageantry at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. It is part of a lavish state visit to Japan by Trump that has also featured a visit to a sumo wrestling match on Sunday.

ADVERTISEMENT

Trump is set to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later on Monday and will also attend a state banquet with the emperor later in the evening.

A military band and dozens of children waving American and Japanese flags were a part of the ceremony, which was also attended by first lady Melania Trump Melania TrumpTrump privately blamed Black Americans for lacking initiative: report The Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Melania Trump: Ginsburg's 'spirit will live on in all she has inspired' MORE and several White House aides, including press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sarah Elizabeth SandersSarah Sanders on Trump's reported war dead criticism: 'Those comments didn't happen' Sarah Sanders memoir reportedly says Trump joked she should hook up with Kim Jong Un McEnany stamps her brand on White House press operation MORE Sanders and national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonMaximum pressure is keeping US troops in Iraq and Syria Woodward book trails Bolton, Mary Trump in first-week sales Ex-NSC official alleges 'unprecedented' intervention by White House aides in Bolton book review MORE.

The display sent a signal of deep unity between the United States and Japan amid Trump's trade war with China, the rising economic power in the region. Trump this month raised tariffs on China after a failure to reach a trade agreement with Beijing.

North Korea is expected to be a subject of discussion when Trump meets with Abe.

The ceremony follows a tweet from Trump over the weekend in which the president said he “smiled” at North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un Kim Jong UnSatellite images indicate North Korea preparing for massive military parade South Korea warns of underwater missile test launch by North Korea Trump says he didn't share classified information following Woodward book MORE’s characterization of former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Harris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle MORE as “low IQ” and said he “ha[s] confidence” in Kim’s commitment to his promise to Trump despite a North Korean missile test earlier this month, which Bolton on Saturday called a violation of United Nations resolutions.

Trump's tweet contradicted Bolton's remarks.

“U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from firing any ballistic missiles,” Bolton told reporters in Tokyo, according to The Associated Press. “In terms of violating U.N. Security Council resolutions, there is no doubt about that.”

Trump also has come under criticism for agreeing with Kim's criticism of Biden.

Trump has met twice with Kim, a dictator previous presidents had not agreed to meet.