Japan PM says he is willing to hold talks with Trump at early date

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday expressed his willingness to meet with US President-elect Donald Trump "at an early date" to further strengthen the bilateral alliance, Report informs via Kyodo News.

While Trump is perceived to be willing to meet with Ishiba before his Jan. 20 return to the White House, the prime minister noted that there are "various views" within the government about when would be the best time for the two leaders to meet and said, "I will choose the most appropriate timing."

"To elevate the bilateral alliance to new heights, it's critical that we are on the same page in terms of how we see the situation in Northeast Asia," Ishiba also said at the press conference to mark the end of an extraordinary parliamentary session.

Ishiba initially explored an in-person meeting with Trump in November, on his way back to Japan from his trip to South America. But it was not realized as the Trump side cited legal constraints preventing the next US president from meeting with foreign leaders before his inauguration.

Since then, however, Trump has held talks with other world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Ishiba suggested that Trump's wish to meet with him was relayed to the Japanese side after Akie Abe, widow of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visited the president-elect and his wife Melania in Florida earlier this month

Trump told a press conference after meeting Abe that he could meet with Ishiba before he returns to the White House.

Ishiba is expected to visit Malaysia and Indonesia in early January before the regular Diet session begins, probably in the latter half of that month.