Visits from a foreign leader, and i am truly glad that it could be from such an important and steadfast ally. The bond between our two nations and the friendship between our two peoples runs very, very deep. This administration is committed to bringing those ties even closer. We are committed to the security of japan and all areas under its administrative control and to further strengthening our very crucial alliance. The u. S. Japan alliance is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Pacific Region. It is important that both japan and the United States continue to invest very heavily in the alliance to build up our defense and our defensive capabilities which under our mutual leadership will become stronger and stronger. And as time goes by, ultimately they will be impenetrable. We face numerous challenges, and bilateral cooperation is essential. Our country is committed to being an active and fully engaged partner. We will Work Together to promote our shared interests of which we have many in the region, including freedom from navigation and of navigation and defending against the north Korean Missile and nuclear threat, both of which i consider a very, very high priority. On the economy, we will seek a trading relationship that is free, fair, and reciprocal benefitting both of our countries. The vibrant exchange between us is a true blessing. Japan is a proud nation with a rich history and culture, and the American People have profound respect for your country and its traditions. I also want to take this opportunity, mr. Prime minister, to thank you and the people of japan for hosting our armed forces. Working together, our two countries have the ability to bring greater harmony, stability, and prosperity to the Pacific Region and beyond, improving countless lives in the process. We are committed to that goal, highly committed. Prime minister abe, on behalf of the United States of america, i thank you for being with us today. We will soon be traveling to the great state of florida, where i know we will have a long and very successful talk, negotiations, and a very, very productive weekend, mr. Prime minister. Translator i am visiting the United States for the First Time Since i visited pearl harbor in hawaii at the end of last year. This is my fourth visit to the United States in the last six months. To the people of the United States, id like to express my heartfelt gratitude for always giving me a warm hospitality. My thanks also go to President Trump for inviting me to white house at this time in spite of his busy schedule during the first 100 days since his inauguration. My family name is abe, but in the United States, sometimes people pronounce it wrongly and call me abe. But i dont feel bad about it because everyone in japan knows the name of that great president , a son of a farmer and a carpenter can be a president of the United States. This fact surprised japanese people who are under the rule of shogun 150 years ago and opened our eyes to democracy. The United States is the champion of democracy. President trump is a great businessman, but he didnt have any experience of Holding Public office like lawmakers and governors before. Nevertheless, he won a yearlong tough campaign and was elected as the new president of the United States. This is really what dynamism of democracy means. Id like to congratulate him on his inauguration as president. The United States has been and will continue to be a country with the most abundant opportunities in the world, and this has been so and will remain unchanged in the future as well. That is exactly why many japanese companies, including automakers, have been establishing factories and producing in various parts of the United States. Last year, japan made more than 150 billion new investment in the United States, and such investment has been creating many jobs in the United States. Japan and the United States have been building mutually beneficial economic relations. Under President Trumps leadership, largescale investments will be made in infrastructure, including Rapid Transit railway. Anyone who has ever experienced japans bullet train would appreciate its speed, comfort and safety. The state of the art train would connect washington, d. C. , and new york where trump tower is in just one hour. With such high technological capability, japan can make contribution to President Trumps Growth Strategy and create new jobs in the United States. Regarding the measures to further deepen the japanu. S. Economic relations, we have agreed we would hold a crosssectional dialogue between deputy Prime Minister taro aso and Vice President mike pence. In the rapidly growing asia and Pacific Region, expanding free trade and investment provides great opportunities for both japan and the United States. But that must be done fairly. There should be no intervention in economy by Stateowned Enterprises backed by state capital. Free ride in the field of intellectual property should not be allowed. In the asiaPacific Region, we will create a free, fair, and rulebased market under the leadership of japan and the United States. During the summit talks, President Trump and i have confirmed to achieve this goal with strong determination. The cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the asiaPacific Region is nothing but strong japanu. S. Alliance. The bond is unshakeable and the president and i will strengthen it further. We share this strong determination today. As the security situation grows harsher, we confirmed that the Senkaku Islands fall within the scope of the u. S. Japan security treaty, article 5. The United States will enhance its presence in the region, and japan will play a bigger role under the banner of proactive contribution to the peace. At the same time, to maintain deterrence and decrease the burden, we will continue our work to realign the u. S. Troops stationed in japan for the full return of futenma air station, japan and United States will continue to Work Together for its relocation, which is the only solution to this issue. To north korea, we will press them to give up their nuclear and Ballistic Missile programs and refrain from further provocations. We completely agreed on the importance of the prompt resolution of the abduction of the japanese nationals by north korea. And in east china sea, south china sea, indian ocean, or regardless of where you are. International order based on the rule of law including freedom of navigation should be carried through. We renewed our strong will that japan and the United States would oppose any attempt that tries to change the status quo by use of force or threat. President and i had a Frank Exchange of opinions on not just the bilateral and regional issues but on our contributions to the worlds peace and prosperity. We agreed to strongly condemn all forms of terrorism and continue to enhance our cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Japan will fulfill our own role. Also, the world is facing various issues such as regional conflicts, refugees, poverty, Infectious Diseases just to name a few. These are all serious challenges that can threaten peace and stability of both japan and the United States. These challenges cannot be solved unless the entire International Community, including japan and United States, Work Together. I am sure there are varying opinions on what measures would be effective, but im not afraid of differences in opinion. What we must be afraid of is the divide emphasizing only the differences instead of our common goals and interests would create division, and that is what i fear. Fear, the division of International Community is exactly what those who try to challenge the existing International Order want to see. If we close the dialogue, we can create nothing. Because of a difference in opinions, we must hold dialogues. This has been my firm belief throughout the past four years as i have engaged in diplomacy unique to japan. No matter how tough the issues may be, through dialogue with President Trump, we will Deepen Mutual understanding and Seek Solutions that can be shared. I am determined to continue this effort. Now, after lunch today, i will be spending the weekend in florida with the president. I can hardly wait. And our schedule includes playing golf together. I may not be a good golfer as president , but my motto is, never up, never in. I will always aim for the hole, and do not intend to go by inches. And this is only limited to golf. In a relaxed atmosphere, im looking forward to take as much time as needed to talk thoroughly with president on matters such as the future of our two countries, the future of the region, and the future of the world and what we can do to make contribution. Thank you very much. The leaders also issued a joint statement. It says abe invited trump for an official visit to japan during the course of this year. He also welcomed Vice President mike pence. Trump accepted the invitation. Now, before the summit, japans foreign minute stir, Fumio Kishida and u. S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson discussed economic and Security Issues in their first meeting. Kishida said japanu. S. Economic relations have a huge potential to become the engine of growth in the asiaPacific Region. He also emphasized the strategic significance of the transpacific partnership, but trump has decided to withdraw the u. S. From the free trade pact. Member nations include japan. Tillerson noted the importance of building close economic ties not just between japan and the u. S. But also with other asiapacific countries. The top diplomat as agreed to further strengthen the bilateral alliance. They agreed the security environment in asia and the pacific is extremely tense. They cited north Koreas Nuclear and missile tests and chinas activities in the east and south china seas. Kishida and tillerson also confirmed that the planned relocation of the u. S. Marine corps futenma air station within the prefecture of okinawa is the only way to ease the dangers posed by the base. Its located in a densely populated area of okinawa. Iraqi Prime MinisterHaider Alabadi is urging President Trump to remove his country from a list of seven predominantly muslim nations facing a travel ban. The leaders spoke by telephone on thursday. Iraqi Officials Say trump replied hell direct the u. S. State department to find a solution as soon as possible. The entry ban is currently on hold after a u. S. Federal Court Decision blocked it. Iraqis have been angered by trumps order. It comes as iraqi forces deepen their cooperation with the u. S. Military in the fight against the Islamic State group. U. S. Backed iraqi troops are now trying to retake the groups largest stronghold in the city of mosul. Iraqi Officials Say abadi told the u. S. President the operation is in its final stage, and he stressed his countrys need of continued support from washington and the International Community. An american legal expert says the u. S. Federal courts refusal to reinstate the president S Immigration order is an issue that transcends partisan politics. One thing thats interesting is that the judges, i think, come from a variety of backgrounds. Both the District Court judge and the court of appeals judges are not all democratic president ial appointees. Neither are they all republican appointees. And the court of appeals decided unanimously to keep the temporary restraining order in place. Rosen thinks the judges must have considered many factors related to the u. S. Constitution, such as religion rights and due process. I think the big message from the District Court and from the federal court of appeals for the ninth circuit is that the issues are not as clear as the president believes them to be. The president the other day said even someone with a rudimentary sort of education could read the law and understand it. I have this essentially complete power over foreign affairs, and the District Court and the court of appeals its not so clear to us. Rosen said he expects the Trump Administration will appeal to the Supreme Court, but he noted a tie is possible with only eight Supreme Court justices at the moment. A deadlocked bench would mean the decision by the Appeals Court would stand. Rosen thinks that scenario would give the plaintiff the advantage. Officials in hong kong are investigating a fire on a crowded subway train. A man is suspected of starting the blaze that left at least 17 people injured. Police say they have arrested the man. The incident occurred during fridays evening rush hour in central hong kong. Video taken by an onlooker shows a man lying on the platform with his clothes on fire as passengers tried to help him. Authorities say theyre looking into the suspects motive. People in indonesia are dealing with a series of deadly landslides triggered by torrential rain. At least 12 people have been killed. Patchari raksawong at our bureau in bangkok has the details. The earth falls occurred overnight from thursday on the popular Resort Island of bali. Disaster management officials have warned residents to beware of further floods and landslides. The National DisasterMitigation Agency said landslides hit three villages in mountainous areas and destroyed several homes. A 1yearold boy was among the victims. Five injured people have been hospitalized. More heavy rains are expected in bali over the weekend. The agency remains on high alert and has called for residents in affected areas to evacuate. As the disaster in bali shows, Southeast Asia is highly disasterprone, regularly suffering massive earthquakes and typhoons, and now countries in the region are uniting to establish a new mutual support framework with each nation ready to dispatch medical teams when disaster strikes. Recently the first drill under this initiative was held in thailand. Nhk aya sugimoto reports. Reporter a disaster drill to test emergency medical responses took place with Health Workers from asean countries. The drill was based on the assumption that many injured people have been brought in after massive flooding. Medical teams from Southeast Asian countries Work Together to confirm treatment procedures step by step. Dr. Wiwat seetamanotch from thailand organized the exercise. It was his experience during the 2004 indian ocean tsunami which claimed the lives of more than 220,000 people that spurred him into action. The death toll was high on the island of phuket in Southern Thailand where he was working at that time. There were many medical specialties at the time, but no one had the knowledge or skill to respond in the devastating circumstances of a major disaster. The issue of how to better coordinate medical responses surfaced. Translator many people died or lost close family members. We didnt know enough about Disaster Response, and we couldnt offer sufficient support. Reporter wiwat realized that he could have saved more lives if theyd known how to respond properly in the event of a disaster. He took part in training for disaster medicine organized by the Japan InternationalCooperation Agency nine years ago. There he learned about the disaster medical assistance team, or d mat system. Calling on fellow doctors in thailand, wiwat created the countrys version of d mat. Today doctors trained in Disaster Response are stationed across the country, using their knowledge and skills when floods or mudslides occur. The latest disaster drill was aimed at raising the level of Emergency Response throughout the whole of Southeast Asia. Some countries such as laos or cambodia have little experience in disaster medicine, so they looked at ways to treat injuries that disaster victims commonly suffer. They also examined ways to use common tables and white boards to share information on injured people amidst the confusion after a disaster. Translator ive learned that theres a need to establish a common system among countries to help injured people in the event of a major disaster. Translator some countries have advanced skills in Disaster Response, but some dont. We need to set up common standards and a system of cooperation across the region and raise the skills of medical workers in each country. Reporter learning from their harsh experiences, he and his fellow medical professionals are pressing on with their efforts aiming at preventing deaths that could have been avoided if coordinated response had been taken to mitigate the effect of future disasters. Nhk world, bangkok. Learning from the challenges that emerged during the disaster drills, such as how to best share information, a total of three drills will be held this year and next. And a related manual will be written and distributed among asean nations that will send medical staff to disasterhit areas. Afghanistans Defense Ministry has welcomed a u. S. Generals call for more troops in the wartorn country to break a stalemate in the long conflict with taliban insurgents. General john nicholson, the commander of u. S. And International Forces in afghanistan, testified at a Senate Armed ServicesCommittee Hearing on the u. S. Led military operation in the country. I have adequate resourcing in my counterterrorism mission. In my train, advise, and assist mission, however, we have a shortfall of a few thousand. And this is in the nato train, advise, assist mission, so this can come from the u. S. And its allies. Afghan Defense Ministry spokesperson said on friday that more International Troops would be a good step towards countering militant groups in afghanistan. Translator the Afghan National army needs to be supported and properly equipped to enable it to combat terrorism and terrorist groups in afghanistan. Fears have been spreading among afghans since donald trump became u. S. President , raising major questions about the future of the u. S. Mission in their country. That will wrap up our bulletin. Im Patchari Raksawong in bangkok. Here in japan, bitter winter conditions are gripping much of the nation. Heavy snowfall is wreaking havoc for commuters who arent prepared. Weather Officials Say developing low pressure systems brought heavy snow and strong winds, creating whiteout conditions on the sea of japans coast. Awe authorities closed roads in many areas. Drivers were stranded in parts of hiroshima. Translator i was stuck in the snow for about two hours and finally got here. But im giving up and turning back. The stormy conditions have caused a number of accidents. A capsized fishing boat was spotted friday afternoon off the coast of aomori. It had lost contact a day earlier. Two bodies were found inside the vessel. The coast guard is still searching for the other two missing crew members. Heavy snow hit one of unescos World Heritage sites. About 40 people were stranded in a cable car on the way up the mountain, but staff were able to get the car moving again. No one was injured. Translator the cable car came to a sudden halt as if it had hit something. I got scared, and it didnt move again for a while. The snowy conditions will continue until sunday. Parts of northern and central japan may experience blizzards. Weather officials advise caution. Now heres the threeday outlook on the whether for selected cities around the globe. And that wraps up this edition of nhk newsline. Im raja pradhan in tokyo. Thanks for joining us. Host this week, global 3000 goes to china, where consumerism dominates, though not entirely. We meet a little monk changing peoples perspectives. In senegal, fishing areas are being plundered by international fleets, and the locals are losing out. But first, we head to yemen. After almost two years of war, the suffering goes on. Many people here are on the run, fleeing violence. Those who can afford it go abroad. Corruption is widespread. There are barely any Public Services in yemen, and only a shell of a legal system. As a result, the country is in a