The Toronto Raptors have made history by becoming the first Canadian team to reach the NBA final after rallying past the Milwaukee Bucks 100-94 in Game 6.
The Raptors came back from a two-game deficit in the best-of-seven basketball series to win the Eastern Conference 4-2 for the first time in franchise history on Saturday night.
They will open the NBA final at home on Thursday night against six-time champions Golden State Warriors.
American Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, seven in the fourth quarter and finished with a career-best 17 rebounds and seven assists to lead the home side to victory.
“It’s still surreal to me right now,” Leonard said. “But this is what we’ve been striving for all season. It’s not over yet.”
There were jubilant scenes at Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square on Saturday night as fans gathered to celebrate.
Pascal Siakam added 18 points, Kyle Lowry had 17 and Fred VanVleet scored 14 for the Raptors.
“Kawhi stays level-headed all the time,” Lowry said. “He brought that pedigree with him.”
“He inspired us tonight with monster rebounds,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse added. “It wasn’t going well for us, it was kind of a frustrating night. … But we kept playing.”
Lowry has been through many playoff failures in seven years with the Raptors.
“It means a lot to me,” Lowry said. “We beat a really good team in Milwaukee. But I’m not satisfied yet. Our goal is to win the NBA championship.”
Most Valuable Player candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points and had 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who had the NBA’s best record (60-22) during the regular season.
Brook Lopez added 18 points with nine rebounds and three blocks, Khris Middleton had 14 points, Ersan Ilyasova 13, and Malcolm Brogdon and George Hill 10 each.
“This hurts,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “But what they did in the playoffs tonight against a really good Toronto Raptors team, and to get to the Eastern Conference finals, the regular season, a special season for us. We feel like we’re just getting started.”
The Warriors had swept the the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the Western Conference to reach their fifth consecutive NBA final.
“We half expected that performance to be a little bit leggy,” he said.
“We trained them hard and had the team bonding day where they only got one or two hours’ sleep.
“There was a little bit of fatigue and the pitch was really energy sapping.”
Euro 2017 champions Denmark – who are ranked 17th in the world, 14 places below England – had chances at the start of both halves before Parris’ goal in first-half stoppage time eased nerves.
Scott’s header came following the break as England gradually improved after their first-half performance left Neville underwhelmed.
“I was bored watching it in the first half,” Neville added.
“The disappointment was we didn’t play with any rhythm; we played stand-still football. When we got into areas, we looked so excitable and made the wrong decision.
“It looked messy and there was no composure on the pitch. A few of those players needed that jolt.”
Neville admits he was ‘bored’ in first half of England win
The former Manchester United and Everton defender acknowledged that the upheaval had had an impact on the 25-year-old Liverpudlian’s frame of mind.
“The kid’s has had such a big 10 days in her life – the girl from Toxteth is now going to live in France,” he said.
“She’s changed clubs and it’s the first time she’s moved away from home. It’s a big emotional strain on anyone, so we wanted to protect her – but she’s a goal threat.
“We have to protect her over the next 10 days to get back to the levels we know she can. We need to protect the jewels we have.”
Neville also confirmed that Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton and Fran Kirby will face New Zealand on Saturday in their final warm-up game.
“I’ve played in pre-tournament games,” said Neville, who went to three European Championships with England as a player.
“You stand in front of the players and say ‘let’s get going’ but they’ve got half a mind on Scotland in Nice. My job is to motivate the team but I’m not daft.
“Four or five tackles we went into, we didn’t come out of because they’re thinking of England v Scotland so it’s human nature.
“I was ready after the SheBelieves Cup. These games are a bit of nuisance because you want the players to come through unscathed.”
BBC Sport has launched #ChangeTheGame this summer to showcase female athletes in a way they never have been before. Through more live women’s sport available to watch across the BBC this summer, complemented by our journalism, we are aiming to turn up the volume on women’s sport and alter perceptions. Find out more here.
Women’s World Cup
Host nation: France Dates: 7 June – 7 July 2019
Coverage: BBC website will have live text commentaries on all England and Scotland matches and you can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, online and on the Red Button
President Donald Trump walks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before playing a round of golf at Mobara Country Club on Sunday in Chiba, Japan. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo
Trump’s tweets came hours before he met with close ally Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his four-day state visit.
President Donald Trump on Sunday took time out on his state visit to Japan to re-affirm his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and rail against a U.S. judge for partially blocking his border-wall funding plan.
“North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me,” Trump wrote in a tweet posted before 6 a.m. local time.
Story Continued Below
Trump’s tweets came hours before he met with close ally Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his four-day trip to Japan to discuss North Korean engagement, ongoing trade negotiations and to meet with Japan’s newest emperor Naruhito.
North Korea launched several suspected short-range missiles earlier this month, which Trump has dismissed as “very standard” following a series of personal negotiations with the authoritarian leader.
Japan relies heavily on American forces to defend itself, and has repeatedly raised concerns over North Korea’s missile tests, saying they are a violation of U.N. resolutions. Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, this week echoed that position.
On Saturday, Trump arrived aboard Air Force One at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo before meeting with Japanese business executives, where he talked about the strong relationship between the two countries and the future of trade relations.
“Japan has had a substantial advantage for many, many years, but that’s OK, maybe that’s why you like us so much,” Trump said, adding that in the future it will be “a little bit more fair, I think.”
Trade negotiations between the two countries have been a major factor in the U.S.-Japan relationship after Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership early in his presidency. Last week, Trump delayed auto tariffs for six months while the administration pursues trade deals with Europe and Japan.
Later Sunday, Trump met with Abe in Chiba, where they played golf and will attend a sumo wrestling championship, before going to dinner with the prime minister and his wife, Akie.
On Monday, Trump will meet with Emperor Naruhito, the first foreign leader to do so since he assumed the throne.
Earlier Sunday, at 4:35 a.m. local time, Trump lambasted a Friday ruling by Calif.-based U.S. District Court Judge Haywood Gilliam halting a $1 billion transfer from Pentagon counterdrug moneys aimed at funding parts of border-wall construction and maintenance in Texas and Arizona.
“Another activist Obama appointed judge has just ruled against us on a section of the Southern Wall that is already under construction. This is a ruling against Border Security and in favor of crime, drugs and human trafficking. We are asking for an expedited appeal!” Trump wrote.
About a half hour later in a barrage of tweets and re-tweets, Trump thanked actor Jon Voight, re-tweeted Fox News host Jesse Watters and railed against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett for committing what Trump claims is a hate crime.
Smollett was accused of staging an attack in Chicago where two men wearing MAGA hats yelled homophobic and racist remarks, but his case was dismissed by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
In his later North Korea tweet, Trump also said he “smiled when [Kim] called Swampman Joe Bidan a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that’s sending me a signal?”
North Korea has labeled Biden, the former vice president and Democratic candidate for president in 2020, a “fool of low IQ” and an “imbecile bereft of elementary quality as a human being” after he called Kim a tyrant during a recent speech, according to the Associated Press. Trump fixed the spelling of Biden’s name in a later tweet.
Trump has held two summits with Kim in Singapore and Hanoi, Vietnam. Trump tweeted in April that a third summit “would be good” while writing glowingly of their relationship. North Korea this week said it would not be open to further talks until the U.S. changes its position on nuclear disarmament.
England fell to a 12-run defeat by Australia in a thrilling World Cup warm-up match in Southampton after Steve Smith’s first century since being banned for his part in the ball-tampering scandal.
Smith hit 116 off 102 balls in an impressively composed innings to steer his side to 297-9.
James Vince and Jos Buttler struck fine fifties to seemingly put England on course for victory, only for Australia to regularly peg the hosts back.
Needing 15 off the last over, England lost their two final wickets to end a disappointing and disjointed chase.
England, who also sustained a series of injury worries, face Afghanistan in another warm-up on Monday before facing South Africa in Thursday’s World Cup opener.
Defending champions Australia begin their campaign against Afghanistan on 1 June after a warm-up match against Sri Lanka on Monday.
England unusually fall short
‘It was so difficult!’ – Curran takes a stunning catch to dismiss Carey
Even in an unofficial match with relaxed rules – Australia named a team of 12 and England were able to bring in substitutes for injured players – the hosts were expected to comfortably chase down a target of under 300.
The pitch offered some variable bounce, with both openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow caught off miscued shots, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon was especially canny – but England will be frustrated to have fallen short, even if the result is not likely to have much of an impact on their World Cup campaign.
Having to miss Hampshire’s One-Day Cup defeat by Somerset at Lord’s, Vince emulated England’s usual number three Joe Root with an innings of deft accumulation, clips through mid-wicket and mid-on accompanying his trademark cover drives.
Buttler changed the tempo of the chase in the 27th over by smacking Nathan Coulter-Nile for 24 off six balls, including two brilliant sixes down the ground and over square leg.
He surged to 52 off 30 balls, only to fall to the next delivery when he tamely chipped Coulter-Nile to Usman Khawaja – before Vince guided the ball straight to Lyon in the trap at short third man for 64.
Big-hitting Buttler smashes five boundaries in an over
Moeen Ali (22) fell slogging to leg-spinner Adam Zampa and Tom Curran was dismissed cheaply, before Chris Woakes countered with 40 and Liam Plunkett struck 19.
But once both had departed, Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer – who were both only batting because of injuries – had no chance, and clearly hampered Archer was run out trying for two in the game’s final act.
Injury worries for England
A day after England were relieved to find Eoin Morgan’s small finger fracture will not keep him out of Thursday’s World Cup opener against South Africa, they had several injury concerns arise in Southampton:
Fast bowler Mark Wood is the only major worry, having felt discomfort in his left foot and going off, unable to finish his fourth over. England are awaiting results of a scan.
Substitute fielder Archer took a blow attempting to make a diving stop on the boundary but later returned to the field.
Liam Dawson split the skin on his right ring finger and did not bat as a precaution.
Chris Woakes played solely as a batsman to rest his long-standing knee issue and was only starting because of Morgan’s injury.
Rashid’s existing shoulder injury prevented him from fielding, meaning 42-year-old assistant coach Paul Collingwood spent long periods in the field.
Root was also called into action despite not being due to play following the death of his grandfather two days ago.
Smith and spinners supreme
‘Incredible’ six sets up Smith century against England
Smith played a superb anchor innings, moving to off to clip away anything on his pads, or angling the bat to guide the ball either side of point.
He hustled between the wickets to ensure he kept his strike-rate up near a run a ball, before a late flourish saw him hit a six over point and another with a pre-meditated scoop over the keeper.
A customary tap into the leg side brought up his hundred, marked with a fairly muted celebration as applause and boos blended, before he finally fell to a contentious decision – the third umpire deciding that his chip to Tom Curran had not hit the pitch first.
Such knocks will have limited effectiveness if the other batsmen cannot kick on – Alex Carey’s 30 off 14 balls the only fluent innings elsewhere – while Australia still look unsure of their best line-up, though it proved enough here.
That was also due to Lyon’s miserly spell of 1-37 off 10 overs that ensured England never got away, ably supported by Zampa’s 1-54.
Seamers Kane Richardson and Marcus Stoinis also executed superbly in a tense finale and, with fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to return, this will surely give Australia confidence they can defend totals that look under par.
Flying run out, record hat-trick & calamity drop – five epic World Cup moments
‘England will be disappointed’ – what they said
Former England spinner Graeme Swann on Test Match Special: “England would have wanted to win.
“None of them were bowled out. They all got out. 10 batsmen had a chance to win the game and none of them did it. That will be a talking point in the debrief.”
England batsman James Vince: “We’re disappointed not get over the line but it is a warm-up game and a lot of the guys got something out of it. The wicket was a bit two-paced but I managed to get a few runs to my name which was nice.”
On Jos Buttler’s innings: “He took all the pressure off us. He hit something like 50 off 30 balls to bring the rate back down to a run a ball. We should have kept a few more wickets in the hutch afterwards but that innings from Jos was outstanding.
Australia captain Aaron Finch: “Our fielding was sloppy, it was not the standard we want to set for ourselves. But overall the way we batted was a good effort.
“It just shows the importance to have that in-batter. I thought Steve Smith played a really impressive knock.
“The wicket got a bit slower and drier. Nathan Lyon bowled a beautiful spell, great line and length. Overall it was a pretty good wicket, with just enough there for everyone.”
ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019
Dates: 30 May – 14 July, 2019
Live coverage: Ball-by-ball commentary on Test Match Special, plus text commentary, clips and highlights on the BBC Sport website
Steve Smith hits his first century for Australia since being banned for his part in the ball-tampering scandal to steer his side to a 12-run victory over England in a thrilling World Cup warm-up match.
Leinster held off Glasgow Warriors at Celtic Park to retain the Pro14 title.
Matt Fagerson’s try gave Warriors the lead but Garry Ringrose pounced to cross after Stuart Hogg’s kick had been charged down.
Cian Healy powered over Leinster’s second try and Johnny Sexton’s kicks guided them to victory.
Hogg went off injured in his final Glasgow appearance before team-mate Grant Stewart got a late try but it was not enough for Dave Rennie’s side.
Adam Hastings missed the conversion on Warriors’ second try and they could not get the try they needed in the final few minutes to snatch the win and their first trophy since 2015’s Pro12 title.
Referee Nigel Owens yellow-carded a player from each side with Kyle Steyn for the hosts and the visitors’ Rob Kearney spending time in the sin bin in the second half.
Hogg (third from left) has been with Glasgow since 2010
Glasgow cannot maintain good start
For Exeter-bound Hogg, it was the most disappointing of farewells, his final ended prematurely just after the hour when Rob Kearney clattered into him in the air. The Leinster full-back avoided a red card, to the outrage of the home support, but Hogg did not get a similar reprieve. His time as a Warrior ended there and then. Soon, the final would come to a close with Leinster winning yet another title.
Rugby people piled into one of the great Scottish footballing citadels in vast numbers, the throngs descending on the east end of Glasgow despite the rain that fell in sheets for much of the evening.
Glasgow might have had home city advantage, but Leinster, with their Lions and their Grand Slammers and their multiple titles, were undoubted favourites. The feeling was that Glasgow had to take their recent coruscating form in the Pro14 and then up it a level to get through the reigning champions, they had to match them physically and punish them remorselessly when the chances arose.
In front of the greatest support they had ever had as Warriors, their mission began well. Leinster started slowly, Glasgow began quickly. The visitors lost a lineout midway through the half and they were made to pay for it. The Warriors worked their downfield, got quick ball when they needed it most and after Scott Cummings took them to striking distance of the Leinster line, Fagerson dived across it.
The Celtic Park crowd roared once and then twice when Hastings made it 7-0. Then, an almighty groan. Within two minutes they had coughed up the softest score, Hogg getting charged down by Luke McGrath with the breaking ball bouncing kindly for Ringrose to score.
Against a backdrop of boos for taking too long to get his kick away, Sexton missed the conversion – his second miss of the final. Hastings put over a penalty after more Glasgow pressure that was sparked by Steyn and Hogg. So far, so good for the challengers.
Leinster make experience count
Around that 25-minute mark everything changed in this final. Glasgow suffered the horrendous blow of having Fraser Brown stretchered off, then they conceded a second try, a product of relentless forward waves and culminating with Healy barging over. Sexton’s conversion made it 12-10. Sexton’s penalty soon after, as Leinster’s scrum got on top, made it 15-10.
Leinster are not normally in the business of giving up leads in big games like this, unless the opposition happens to be the mighty Saracens. Once ahead they tend to stay ahead. They squeeze the life out of the opposition, breaking their spirit.
That process carried on early in the new half. Another deluge from the heavens greeted the restart, a debilitating factor for a team like Glasgow that wants to run with abandon. They had got themselves on the front foot only to spill it in attack, an error that Leinster fed off.
Ringrose counter-attacked, James Lowe following in his wake. Steyn got done for lying on Lowe, giving up not just a penalty but getting a yellow card into the bargain. A double whammy that became a triple whammy when Sexton banged over a penalty minutes later to make it an eight-point game.
Sexton (left) missed his first two kicks but was successful with his next three
Leinster’s muscles pinned Glasgow on their own five-metre line for an age, scrum following scrum as the minutes ticked by. This had become the final that Leinster had wanted; a points advantage, all the possession, all the territory, Glasgow’s dangerous runners silenced, the 47,128 crowd, a new record, all but silenced.
The very breath was being drained from the night. When that siege was eventually lifted and Glasgow got out of their own 22 there was a moment of high controversy. Hogg went up to field a high ball and Kearney went clattering into him in the air. Hogg fell to earth and, briefly, he looked like he had been knocked out.
The crowd roared for a red card. Referee Owens deliberated, watched the incident again, and gave a yellow. A cop-out. That was Hogg’s night and Glasgow career done. He stood up and wobbled. He could not reappear after that.
Glasgow exacted a revenge of sorts when with five minutes left they engineered space up the right wing for the improbable finisher, Stewart, to run in from the 22m line. It was a brilliant score that made it 18-15. Hastings could not reduce the gap with the conversion and Glasgow could not find another gap in the Leinster defence or the field position to boot over a kick to take it to extra-time. The serial winners had done it again.
Line-ups
Glasgow Warriors: Hogg, Seymour, Steyn, Johnson, van der Merwe, Hastings, Price, Bhattie, Brown, Z. Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, Harley, Gibbins, M. Fagerson.
Replacements: H. Jones for Hogg (66), P. Horne for Johnson (56), G. Horne for Price (58), Kebble for Bhattie (52), Halanukonuka for Z. Fagerson (67), Gordon for Harley (52). Not Used: Stewart, Wilson. Sin Bin: Steyn (49).
Leinster: R. Kearney, Larmour, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe, Sexton, L. McGrath, Healy, Cronin, Furlong, Fardy, Ryan, Ruddock, van der Flier, Conan.
Replacements: R. Byrne for Sexton (73), McCarthy for L. McGrath (77), E. Byrne for Healy (63), B. Byrne for Cronin (64), Porter for Furlong (64), Molony for Ruddock (79), Deegan for van der Flier (74). Not Used: O’Loughlin. Sin Bin: R. Kearney (66).
Cyril Ramaphosa has been sworn in for a five-year term as South Africa‘s president, with a crucial fight against government corruption ahead of him.
He took the oath of office on Saturday in front of some 30,000 people at a stadium in the capital, Pretoria, with several regional leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and elsewhere in attendance.
“A new era has dawned in our country. A brighter day is rising upon South Africa,” said Ramaphosa, promising that the nation was beginning “a new era of hope and renewal”.
“The challenges our country face are huge and real. But they are not insurmountable. They can be solved. And I stand here today saying they are going to be solved,” the 66-year-old said.
The inauguration followed his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party’s 57.5 percent victory in this month’s election. It was the party’s weakest election showing since the ANC took power at the end of apartheid in 1994.
Ramaphosa first took office last year after former President Jacob Zuma was pressured to resign amid corruption scandals that badly damaged public faith in the ANC.
A former protege of South Africa’s first black President Nelson Mandela, Ramaphosa is seen by many as having the potential to clean up both the government and the ruling party’s reputation.
Without him the ANC likely would have received just 40 percent of the vote, one party leader, Fikile Mbalula, has said.
Al Jazeera’s Fahmida Miller, reporting from Pretoria, said the president called for equality and preservation of the country’s resources.
“He said this will be a different era, an era that he will tackle the challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment that affects almost half of the young people in the country,” she said.
“He also made reference to the last few years as nine wasted years where government institutions were looted and that corruption caused many lost opportunities.”
South Africa has the most advanced infrastructure in the continent, but its commodities-dependent economy has been in a slump for a decade.
It grew by an anaemic 0.8 percent last year and slipped into a brief recession during the third quarter of 2018. It is projected by the World Bank to expand by 1.3 percent this year.
Unemployment is running at 27.6 percent, but among the 20.3 million South Africans aged between 15-34 reaches 55.2 percent.
Ramaphosa also vowed to continue the fight against mismanagement and corruption that has hurt the country’s economy, the most developed in sub-Saharan Africa.
There was no sign at Saturday’s ceremony of Zuma, who has insisted he did nothing wrong and that allegations are politically motivated.
Alleged corruption under Zuma – known as “state capture” – saw millions of dollars siphoned off through government and state agencies awarding fraudulent contracts to favoured companies in return for bribes.
Zuma himself is facing trial for alleged corruption relating to a multibillion-dollar arms deal in the 1990s.
Ramaphosa in February announced he would set up a special tribunal of seven senior judges for “fast-tracking” the recovery of proceeds from corruption cases.
Joe Simmonds added six conversions to his first-half try to help Exeter run out comfortable winners
Gallagher Premiership
Exeter (14) 42
Tries: Williams, J Simmonds, Dennis, O’Flaherty, S Simmonds, Hill Cons: J Simmonds 6
Northampton (12) 12
Tries: Penalty try, Tuala
Exeter reached their fourth successive Premiership final as they beat Northampton 42-12 at Sandy Park.
Having led through Harry Williams and Joe Simmonds, Exeter were pegged back by a penalty try and Ahsee Tuala’s score in a pulsating first half.
But two tries in three minutes soon after the restart from Dave Dennis and Tom O’Flaherty put Exeter in control.
Sam Simmonds and Sam Hill went over late on as Exeter beat Saints for a second successive week.
The Chiefs will face Saracens at Twickenham next week – the third time in the past four years those two sides have contested the showpiece final.
The opening period was a half of two halves – Exeter dominated the early possession and territory and put together a host of trademark multi-phase passages of play.
After Dave Ewers was held up just short of the line, Williams went over from close range as the hosts finally broke Northampton’s resolve, before a lovely dummy by Joe Simmonds opened up a gap for him to go over four minutes later.
Saints got back into it despite James Fish dropping the ball as he went over the line, as he was tackled by an offside O’Flaherty who was sin-binned and a penalty try awarded.
With Exeter short-handed, Saints unleashed a devastating period of play in their backs, ending with Rory Hutchinson superbly holding a pass and juggling the ball before feeding Tuala to bring them within two points.
They could have led at the break had Dan Biggar’s drop goal attempt not gone wide or Cobus Reinach not dropped the ball when put clean through by Hutchinson in first-half stoppage time.
But Exeter stormed away early in the second half, Dennis barrelling over after a driving maul had set his side up on the Saints line before O’Flaherty blazed in from inside his own half and then outpaced Biggar for a fine individual score.
Northampton failed to see much of the ball as the half wore on, with Exeter held up on their opponents’ line twice before Sam Simmonds eventually went over following a television review and replacement centre Hill crossed in the final play of the game.
Can Exeter beat Saracens at Twickenham?
Exeter have had to settle for runners-up medals on the two occasions they have met Saracens in the Premiership final
Exeter’s fourth successive visit to the final is the second best record behind the nine straight finals Leicester achieved between 2005 and 2013.
But they have never beaten Saracens in a final – losing to the newly-crowned European champions in both 2016 and 2018.
However, Chiefs did beat them in a dramatic semi-final two years ago at Sandy Park before going on to defeat Wasps in the final.
One can draw little from Sarries’ win over Exeter at Allianz Park a few weeks ago – both sides played second-string teams as the hosts prepared for the European Champions Cup final and the Chiefs were already assured of a home semi-final in the play-offs.
But Exeter did beat a stronger Sarries outfit 31-13 just before Christmas, although in big finals a Saracens side led by Mark McCall have proved almost unstoppable.
US President Donald Trump urged Japanese business leaders on Saturday to increase their investment in the United States while he chided Japan for having a “substantial edge” on trade that negotiators were trying to even out in a bilateral deal.
Trump arrived in Japan on Saturday for a largely ceremonial state visit meant to showcase strong ties despite simmering trade tensions.
Japan’s trade minister said no trade agreement is expected during the Trump visit.
Shortly after arriving to a red-carpet welcome at the airport, Trump attended a reception at the residence of US Ambassador William Hagerty that the White House said included Japanese business executives from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, SoftBank and Rakuten.
Trump told the company officials “there’s never been a better time” to invest or do business in the US and repeated a complaint that the Federal Reserve’s policies had kept the country’s economic growth from reaching its full potential.
Trump said the US and Japan “are hard at work” negotiating and said he wanted a deal to address the trade imbalance between the two countries.
“Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years, but that’s OK, maybe that’s why you like us so much,” he said.
“With this deal we hope to address the trade imbalance, removing barriers to United States exports and ensure fairness and reciprocity in our relationship,” Trump said.
Trade is one of Trump’s signature issues, and encouraging foreign investment in the US is a hallmark of his trips abroad.
Trump will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe – who planned the largely ceremonial four-day visit – on Sunday.
Tariffs on car industry
It is part of Abe’s charm strategy that some analysts say has so far spared Japan from the full weight of Trump’s trade wrath.
The two leaders planned to play golf on Sunday before Abe gives Trump the chance to present his “President’s Cup” trophy to the winner of a sumo wrestling championship match.
The president will become the first head of state to be received by new Japanese Emperor Naruhito since he ascended the throne earlier this month; he and Harvard-educated Empress Masako will host an elaborate dinner for the Trumps on Monday night.
Abe and Trump are likely to meet for the third time in three months when Trump returns to Japan in late June for the Group of Twenty Summit of leading rich and developing nations.
Behind the smiles and personal friendship, however, there is deep uneasiness over Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Japanese cars and car parts on national security grounds. Such a move would be more devastating to the Japanese economy than earlier tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The US president recently agreed to a six-month delay, enough time to carry Abe past July’s Japanese parliamentary elections.
Trump had predicted that a US-Japan trade deal could be finalised during his trip, but Japanese Trade Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Saturday a deal is not expected after meeting his counterpart, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in Tokyo.
“We deepened our understanding of each other’s positions on trade. However, we’re not in complete agreement,” Motegi told reporters following the talks. “There are still some gaps. We need to work to narrow our differences.”
North Korea’s nuclear programme
Also at issue is the lingering threat of North Korea, which has resumed missile testing and recently fired a series of short-range missiles that US officials, including Trump, have tried to play down despite an agreement by the North to hold off on further testing.
Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, told reporters on Saturday before Trump arrived that the short-range missile tests were a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and that sanctions must stay in place.
Bolton said Trump and Abe would “talk about making sure the integrity of the Security Council resolutions are maintained”.
It marked a change in tone from the view expressed by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a recent television interview.
He said: “The moratorium was focused, very focused, on intercontinental missile systems, the ones that threaten the United States.” That raised alarm bells in Japan, where short-range missiles pose a serious threat.
Bolton commented a day after North Korea’s official media said nuclear negotiations with Washington would not resume unless the US abandoned what the North described as demands for unilateral disarmament.
Go News Viral 