Trump urges Japan to invest in US

U.S. President Donald Trump said after White House talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the two leaders were working together to improve trading relations and that Abe promised new Japanese investment in the United States.

At a joint news conference, Trump said Abe told him Japan was buying "billions and billions of dollars of additional products of all kinds - military jets, airliners from Boeing, lots of farm products."

"We’re working hard to reduce our trade imbalance which is very substantial, remove barriers to U.S. exports and to achieve a fair and mutually beneficial economic partnership," Reuters cited Trump as saying.

"The United States seeks a bilateral deal with Japan that is based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity," Trump added.

Abe, in turn, said he had a detailed and candid exchange of views with Trump and the discussions focused on North Korea.

Trump said his administration encouraged Japanese investment in new plants in the United States. "The prime minister told me that will happen. We want new auto plants going into Michigan and Pennsylvania and Ohio," he stressed.