Trump says Abe agrees to invest more in US

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he had secured assurances from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Japan will invest more in the United States.

"I had a phone call this morning with Prime Minister Abe of Japan and I suggested that he invest more and open up more plants," Trump told reporters and lawmakers at the White House.

"They announced, as you know, a number of plants coming in to Michigan and other states, but we want to bring in more," he continued. "They will do that, he said they will do that."

This year has seen a renewed push by Trump to change the terms of trade with some of America's closest allies.

The controversial president believes that countries like Japan which exist under America's security umbrella are not paying enough for the privilege.

Earlier this week he vowed a "reciprocal tax" on trading partners who have trade surpluses with the United States, although details of that proposal have not materialized.

"We cannot continue to be taken advantage of by other countries," Trump said. "We lose vast amounts of money with China and Japan and South Korea," he added. "They are getting away with murder."