Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised President Trump’s launch of a cruise-missile attack against the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and pledged cooperation in facing mounting threats from North Korea.
“The leaders agreed that Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons against civilians, including women and children, was abhorrent and warranted a strong response from the international community,” said a White House statement about the phone calls released Sunday.
Trump thanked Abe for his support during the call on Saturday, according to the statement, and the two leaders vowed to “show continued resolve in response to al-Assad’s brutal actions.”
“President Trump and Prime Minister Abe also agreed to further cooperation on a range of regional issues, including the threat posed by North Korea.”
Kim Jong Un’s rogue regime has been experimenting with different types of fuel to extend the range of its missiles and has been firing rockets into the Sea of Japan as it ramps up its provocative behavior.
The US has a Navy aircraft carrier strike group steaming toward the region to provide a physical presence.