Trump offers insight that Abe would do well to heed

As the first foreign leader to visit Donald Trump when he was US president-elect, and the second to meet him since he entered office, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was no doubt confident his exertions had paid off as intended, at least partially.

Especially given the impressive signs of personal rapport between the two leaders, or as Trump described it their "very, very good chemistry", and the coveted US presidential assurance of "unwavering" commitment to the US-Japan alliance.

Everything would therefore seem to be as good as can be for Abe after his meeting with Trump on Friday and Saturday.