Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a 12-minute phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday night, in which Abe offered his condolences for the victims of Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 59 people dead, a senior Japanese official said.
Abe told Trump that Japan "stands by 100 percent" the U.S. and its citizens. Trump in return said Abe is "a true friend," according to the official who briefed reporters after the talks.
Trump, who was aboard Air Force One at the time of the call, has had similar conversations with leaders from Canada and the U.K., the official said.
During the conversation, Abe and Trump also reaffirmed that the two countries will cooperate closely in dealing with the military threat from North Korean.
They also agreed that Tokyo and Washington will continue preparations for Trump's planned visit to Japan in November, the official said.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.