Donald Trump plays golf, watches sumo tournament with Japan PM Shinzo Abe after dismissing North Korea’s launch of ‘some small weapons’

Abe is Trump’s closest friend among world leaders and it’s the fifth time they played golf together since Trump took office

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Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe poses for a selfie with US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:53am, 26 May 2019Updated: 11:54pm, 26 May 2019

US President Donald Trump on Sunday downplayed recent North Korean missile launches as he teed off a state visit to Japan with a round of golf and a trip to the sumo with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Before his official schedule began, Trump tweeted that North Korea had tested “some small weapons” that had “disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me”.

This appeared to be a reference to US National Security Advisor John Bolton, who said on Saturday there was “no doubt” the launches had contravened UN Security Council resolutions.

But Trump said: “I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me.”

President Donald Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before playing a round of golf at Mobara Country Club. Photo: AP

The US president maintains that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has pledged he is serious about denuclearisation, although experts say there is still a wide gulf between the two sides over what that means.

Trump and Abe’s talks are expected to touch on tensions with Pyongyang, which have mounted after a summit in February in Hanoi collapsed without an agreement, and trade negotiations as Tokyo and Washington attempt to thrash out a deal.