Takaichi also noted that America would celebrate its 250th birthday next year - and promised gifts of cherry trees to Washington and Japanese made fireworks. Trump seemed flattered by the gesture, although he was perhaps more impressed by Takaichi’s promise to increase Japanese defence spending to 2% of its GDP.

South Korea's new president is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, bringing together leaders from 20 countries, including the United States and China, whose leaders are set to hold a high-stakes meeting on the sidelines.

President Donald Trump appears to have picked up another Nobel Peace Prize nomination — this time from the new Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. She told him during a meeting in Tokyo that she plans to put his name forward for the distinguished award.