"Trump's Japan Visit Being Coordinated for Oct. 27-29, Meeting with Families of Abductees Also Planned"

U.S.-Japan Summit Expected on the 28th
Japan's New Prime Minister to Attend Summit

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the governments of the United States and Japan are coordinating a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Japan between October 27 and 29, ahead of his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Yonhap News Agency

According to multiple Japanese government officials on October 3, the U.S.-Japan summit is expected to take place on the 28th. President Trump is also arranging a meeting with the families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea on the same day.

The summit will be attended not by current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, but by the new prime minister. After the ruling Liberal Democratic Party elects a new leader in the party presidential election on October 4, the new prime minister will take office around October 15 through a special parliamentary session to select the prime minister.

In Japan's parliamentary system, when the leader of the ruling party changes, the parliament goes through the process of electing a new prime minister. Although the Japanese parliament is currently in a situation where the ruling party does not hold a majority, local media believe that the new Liberal Democratic Party leader will succeed Prime Minister Ishiba, as the party remains the largest and it is difficult for the ideologically and policy-divided opposition parties to unite.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "The two countries are expected to confirm the strengthening of the U.S.-Japan alliance's deterrence and discuss responses to China during the summit."

After completing his visit to Japan, President Trump plans to travel to Gyeongju, South Korea, to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which begins on October 31.