Japan's Abe: Trump is a leader I can have confidence in

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday he had a "very candid discussion" with President-elect Donald Trump, during a brief press availability following their in-person meeting.

Abe declined to explain in detail what he discussed with Trump because the visit was "unofficial" as Trump has not yet assumed the presidency, but he stressed that he emerged feeling that the US and Japan will be able to maintain "a relationship of trust" with Trump as president.

The meeting was Trump's first in-person meeting with a foreign head of state since he clinched the presidency last week and comes after Trump has repeatedly suggested Japan should shoulder a bigger financial burden of the US's military forces in the region.

Abe declined to say if the two men hashed out the defense issue or discussed their disagreement over the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, but stressed that he emerged "convinced that Mr. Trump is a leader in whom I can have confidence."

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