Trump calls Japan 'crucial ally' as he kicks off Asia trip
FUSSA  Japan (AP) â  President Donald Trump  praised Japan as a âtreasured partnerâ and âcrucial allyâ Sunday  as  he  kicked off a grueling and consequential first trip to Asia.
 Trump  landed at Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo  where  he  was greeted by cheers from service members.  Trump  then donned a bomber jacket for a speech in which  he  touted American firepower and the U.S. alliance with Japan.
âJapan is a treasured partner and crucial ally of the United States and today we thank them for welcoming us and for decades of wonderful friendship between our two nations â  he  said  speaking in front of an American flag inside an airplane hangar.
âOn behalf of the United States of America  I send the warmest wishes of the America people to the citizens of this remarkable country â  he  said.
After the speech   Trump  was set to head to a private golf course for an informal lunch and golf with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
 Trump  was expected to exhort allies and rivals to step up efforts to counter the dangers posed by North Koreaâs nuclear threat. Before  he  landed   Trump  used the first moments of  his  trip to denounce North Korea as âa big problemâ that must âbe solved.â
âThereâs been 25 years of total weakness  so we are taking a very much different approachâ in dealing with the renegade regime in Pyongyang â  he  said  speaking to reporters on Air Force One.
Some regional analysts have speculated that Trumpâs presence in Asia may prompt North Korea to take provocative action  like a missile test.  Trump   when asked about that possibility  said âweâll soon find out.â
The 12-day  five-country trip  the longest Far East itinerary for a president in a generation  comes at a precarious moment for  Trump . Just days ago  his former campaign chairman was indicted and another adviser pleaded guilty as part of an investigation into possible collusion between his 2016 campaign and Russian officials.
It will pose a test for  Trump âs stamina â but  Trump  assured reporters aboard Air Force that  he  was up for the task. âItâs grueling  they tell me  but fortunately thatâs historically not been a problem for me. One thing you people will say  thatâs not been a problem â he said.
It also presents a crucial international test for a president looking to reassure Asian allies worried that his inward-looking âAmerica Firstâ agenda could cede power in the region to China. They also are rattled by his bellicose rhetoric about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Northâs growing missile arsenal threatens the capitals  Trump  will visit.
Trumpâs spontaneous  and at time reckless  style flies in the face of the generations-old traditions and protocol that govern diplomatic exchanges in Asia. The grand receptions expected for him in Tokyo  Seoul  Beijing and beyond are sure to be lavish attempts to impress the president  who raved about the extravagances shown him on earlier visits to Saudi Arabia and France.
The trip will also put  Trump  in face-to-face meetings with authoritarian leaders for whom he has expressed admiration. They include Chinaâs Xi Jinping  whom  Trump  has likened to âa king â and the Philippinesâ Rodrigo Duterte  who has sanctioned the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers.
 Trump  is also expected to have a second private audience with Russian President Vladimir Putin  on the sidelines of a summit in Vietnam.
 He  told reporters that the meeting is âexpectedâ to happen and that  he  âwill want Putinâs helpâ in dealing with the North Korea nuclear crisis.  Trump  and Putin could cross paths twice during the presidentâs lengthy Asia trip: at a summit in Vietnam and later in the Philippines. It was unclear where  they  would meet.
 Trump  and Putin previously met along the sidelines of a summit in Europe this summer.
FUSSA  Japan (AP) â   [TGT] praised Japan as a âtreasured partnerâ and âcrucial allyâ Sunday  as   [TGT]   kicked off a grueling and consequential first trip to Asia.
  [TGT] landed at Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo  where   [TGT]   was greeted by cheers from service members.   [TGT] then donned a bomber jacket for a speech in which   [TGT]   touted American firepower and the U.S. alliance with Japan.
âJapan is a treasured partner and crucial ally of the United States and today we thank them for welcoming us and for decades of wonderful friendship between our two nations â  he  said  speaking in front of an American flag inside an airplane hangar.
âOn behalf of the United States of America  I send the warmest wishes of the America people to the citizens of this remarkable country â  he  said.
After the speech    [TGT] was set to head to a private golf course for an informal lunch and golf with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
  [TGT] was expected to exhort allies and rivals to step up efforts to counter the dangers posed by North Koreaâs nuclear threat. Before  he  landed    [TGT] used the first moments of  his  trip to denounce North Korea as âa big problemâ that must âbe solved.â
âThereâs been 25 years of total weakness  so we are taking a very much different approachâ in dealing with the renegade regime in Pyongyang â  he  said  speaking to reporters on Air Force One.
Some regional analysts have speculated that Trumpâs presence in Asia may prompt North Korea to take provocative action  like a missile test.   [TGT] when asked about that possibility  said âweâll soon find out.â
The 12-day  five-country trip  the longest Far East itinerary for a president in a generation  comes at a precarious moment for  [TGT]  . Just days ago  his former campaign chairman was indicted and another adviser pleaded guilty as part of an investigation into possible collusion between his 2016 campaign and Russian officials.
It will pose a test for   [TGT]  âs stamina â but   [TGT] assured reporters aboard Air Force that  he  was up for the task. âItâs grueling   [TGT]  tell me  but fortunately thatâs historically not been a problem for me. One thing you people will say  thatâs not been a problem â he said.
It also presents a crucial international test for a president looking to reassure Asian allies worried that his inward-looking âAmerica Firstâ agenda could cede power in the region to China. They also are rattled by his bellicose rhetoric about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Northâs growing missile arsenal threatens the capitals   [TGT]   will visit.
Trumpâs spontaneous  and at time reckless  style flies in the face of the generations-old traditions and protocol that govern diplomatic exchanges in Asia. The grand receptions expected for him in Tokyo  Seoul  Beijing and beyond are sure to be lavish attempts to impress the president  who raved about the extravagances shown him on earlier visits to Saudi Arabia and France.
The trip will also put   [TGT] in face-to-face meetings with authoritarian leaders for whom he has expressed admiration. They include Chinaâs Xi Jinping  whom   [TGT]   has likened to âa king â and the Philippinesâ Rodrigo Duterte  who has sanctioned the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers.
  [TGT] is also expected to have a second private audience with Russian President Vladimir Putin  on the sidelines of a summit in Vietnam.
  [TGT]   told reporters that the meeting is âexpectedâ to happen and that   [TGT]   âwill want Putinâs helpâ in dealing with the North Korea nuclear crisis.   [TGT] and Putin could cross paths twice during the presidentâs lengthy Asia trip: at a summit in Vietnam and later in the Philippines. It was unclear where   [TGT]   would meet.
  [TGT] and Putin previously met along the sidelines of a summit in Europe this summer.