Trump presents ‘President’s Cup’ to sumo champion in Tokyo//Crimson Tazvinzwa

Among the current crop of world leaders, US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have something of a unique relationship.

The pair are regular golf buddies and Mr Abe has not missed any opportunity to interact with Mr Trump: they have had more than 40 conversations – in phone and in person – during the Trump presidency.

The US president has said Mr Abe nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize – a claim that Tokyo neither confirmed nor denied.

Mr Abe was in turn praised by Mr Trump for their “very, very good chemistry” and his “strong hands” after an oddly long handshake in the White House in 2017.

As they meet yet again this weekend in Tokyo, Mr Abe is pulling out all the stops to woo Japan’s closest ally.