Thread by @DavidNakamura, Japan PM Shinzo Abe, who has announced his resignation over health concerns, [...]

Japan PM Shinzo Abe, who has announced his resignation over health concerns, gets an effusive farewell message in phone call with Trump, per WH readout. “The greatest prime minister in Japan’s history.” cc: @observingjapan

A few highlights of their relationship: 2017: “But as Abe has lavished attention on Trump, their relationship has retained a subtext in which the U.S. president insists on asserting his dominance in a passive-aggressive manner.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/japanese-leader-shinzo-abe-plays-the-role-of-trumps-loyal-sidekick/2017/11/06/cc23dcae-c2f1-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html

Japanese leader Shinzo Abe plays the role of Trump’s loyal sidekick

The U.S. president likes to remind the prime minister who is the alpha male in their relationship.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/japanese-leader-shinzo-abe-plays-the-role-of-trumps-loyal-sidekick/2017/11/06/cc23dcae-c2f1-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html

2018: What happens when you show up for a high-stakes geopolitical summit — and your host is wearing the same outfit? If you're Shinzo Abe and your host is President Trump, you do what any respectable fashionista would do: You make a quick change. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2018/04/18/trump-japans-abe-work-on-strengthening-ties-but-also-change-them-after-awkward-coincidence/

Trump, Japan’s Abe work on strengthening ties — but also change them after awkward coincidence

Japan's prime minister made a quick wardrobe change after he arrived at Mar-a-Lago wearing the same tie as the U.S. president

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2018/04/18/trump-japans-abe-work-on-strengthening-ties-but-also-change-them-after-awkward-coincidence/

2019: In President Trump’s telling, the “very big event” in Japan is something he just can’t miss.
How big? “One hundred times bigger” than the Super Bowl, Trump boasted during a meeting with Abe.
What is happening? Trump hasn’t exactly said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-trump-a-very-big-event-in-japan-that-he-struggles-to-explain/2019/05/24/5ae84d74-7e2d-11e9-a5b3-34f3edf1351e_story.html?outputType=amp

For Trump, a ‘very big event’ in Japan that he struggles to explain

The U.S. promoter in chief has avoided details about the historic succession of Emperor Naruhito and appeared most excited about his own role as he heads to Tokyo.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-trump-a-very-big-event-in-japan-that-he-struggles-to-explain/2019/05/24/5ae84d74-7e2d-11e9-a5b3-34f3edf1351e_story.html?outputType=amp

Bonus: The story of how Japanese diplomats rushed to produce a surprise greeting from Pikotaro to Ivanka Trump illustrates the lengths to which Tokyo is courting Trump's daughter and Jared Kushner, who have taken on an outsize role in foreign affairs. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/04/14/courting-ivanka-how-japanese-diplomats-rushed-to-produce-a-surprise-from-a-tokyo-comedian-for-the-presidents-daughter/

Analysis | Courting Ivanka Trump: How Japanese diplomats rushed to produce a surprise from a Tokyo...

The story involving Justin Bieber, Pikotaro and Arabella Kushner reveals how international diplomacy works in 2017 — it goes viral.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/04/14/courting-ivanka-how-japanese-diplomats-rushed-to-produce-a-surprise-from-a-tokyo-comedian-for-the-presidents-daughter/

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