With charts, stats and golf, Abe proved Japan's worth to US leader

Ex-prime minister reflects on the art of 'Trump whispering' in exclusive interview

20200925 Abe photo

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to Nikkei at his Diet office in Tokyo on Sept. 24. (Photo by Karina Nooka)

NAOYA YOSHINO, Nikkei political editor

TOKYO -- Less than 10 days after Donald Trump won the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Shinzo Abe visited him in New York City, becoming the first world leader to do so.

"You won by taking on the establishment," the then-Japanese prime minister told Trump at the Nov. 17 meeting. "I was in the opposition too, and, like you, I took on the ruling party and won."

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