(VOVworld)- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday night arrived in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump to set a new course for the crucial bilateral relationship, amid strains over trade and defense.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife. (Photo: VNA)

As scheduled, the Japanese prime minister will meet with business leaders and place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery before heading to the White House for his meeting with President Trump and for a joint news conference.

President Trump is expected to underscore the US commitment to the defense of Japan in the event that China attempts to seize the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands which are known as Diaoyu in China. Trump is also likely to raise the issues of trade in automobiles and exchange rates — areas in which he has expressed frustration with Japan.