There doesn't seem to be much they disagree on,... but U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe WERE at odds on Sunday over the seriousness of North Korea's recent series of short-range missile launches.
Abe called the launches clear violations of UN sanctions while Mr. Trump stuck to his line that they did not violate their agreement.
Arirang News' Lee Seung-jae has the details of a sideline bilat between the leaders of the U.S. and Japan at the G7 in France.
Holding a one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in France on Sunday,... it quickly became clear that the leaders of the U.S. and Japan had opposing views on North Korea's latest missile tests.
"So our position is very clear that the launch of short range ballistic missiles by North Korea clearly violates the relevant U.N. Security Council resolution. So, in that sense it was an extremely regrettable for us to experience another round of the launch of the short range ballistic missiles by North Korea in recent days.
However, according to President Trump,... the regime's missile tests were not a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
"I'm not happy about it, but again, he's not in violation of an agreement."
The comments come after North Korea's seventh missile test since Trump and Kim met at the DMZ between the two Koreas in June.
While the launches have complicated attempts to restart talks between Washington and Pyeongyang,... Trump said he remained confident North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will do what he says is "the right thing".
"But I have confidence that in the end, Kim Jong-un who I've gotten to know very well, will do the right thing. I feel that he will do the right thing. I think it's to his advantage to do the right thing."
It's not the first time the two leaders have not seen eye-to-eye on North Korea.
Trump has previously downplayed North Korea's missile provocations,... despite Abe's concerns,... during the U.S. leader's visit to Tokyo in May.
However, there was an issue the two leaders could get behind.
Trump announced that he and Abe had agreed "in principle" to a new trade deal that will likely be signed when the two sides meet again at the UN General Assembly in September.
The deal means Japan would buy excess U.S. corn,... and such purchases would be carried out by the private sector.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says the deal would open up markets to over seven billion U.S. dollars worth of goods and covered agriculture, industrial tariffs and digital trade.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.