S/ Masu Taichi, Anchor / Is there a projected timeframe for (President Trump's) official visit to Japan?

S/ Ishiba Shigeru, Prime Minister / Yes, there is the timeframe of the Kansai Expo. He said that timing was good and appeared very interested.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru made the remarks when he appeared on Nippon TV's Bankisha news program on February 9.

Ishiba returned the previous day from his trip to Washington where he met with US President Donald Trump and invited him to Japan.

The World Exposition in Osaka, the center of the Kansai region in western Japan, is scheduled to take place from April 13 to October 13 this year.

As for the reciprocal trade tariffs that Trump plans to impose on countries that tax imports from the United States, Ishiba said the US leader did not mention during the summit talks what he intends to do about Japan.

Ishiba said there is a possibility that Japan might be able to avoid strict measures as its trade relations with the United States are not as bad as some other countries'.

Asked why he did not bring up his views about revising the Japan-US Security Treaty in his meeting with Trump, Ishiba said he did not want his assertion to cause their discussions to break down from the start.

The prime minister said he will take time to talk about the matter with Trump.