U.S. President Donald Trump will not focus heavily on trade during his four-day state visit to Japan beginning Saturday, a senior administration official said Wednesday, suggesting the two governments are unlikely to reach an agreement during the trip.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month in Washington, Trump said the two sides may strike a trade deal by the time of his visit to Japan in May for a meeting with Emperor Naruhito.
"I don't think that the purpose of this trip is to focus on trade. It's really to be state guests of their majesties," the administration official told reporters, in reference to the emperor and Empress Masako.