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April 13 (UPI) -- Next week's meeting between President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will focus on challenges of North Korea's nuclear arms program, the White House said Friday. North Korea will be the forefront of discussions during the April 17-18 summit at Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Fla.
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The Florida summit also will involve discussions about shared priorities on trade, access to affordable energy, the Indo-Pacific region and Chinese activity in the South China Sea.
The White House, though, has not yet given details about Trump's planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month.
Trump and Abe speak regularly on the phone and Trump has so far met with Abe more than any other foreign leader.
"The president has a great deal of respect for Prime Minister Abe's views on Northeast Asia security," a White House official told reporters in a conference call Friday. "He will certainly want to know what additional thoughts Prime Minister Abe has beyond what he has already shared."
The first day will include a one-on-one meeting and then further discussions with national security aides, followed by an evening dinner. After the second day, the two will hold a joint news conference.
A previous meeting between Trump and Abe in February 2017 was judged a success by both countries -- but Trump has recently taken a more critical stand against Japan.
The president said the trade deficit between the countries must be corrected, and that Japan is not exempted from tariffs on steel and aluminum exported to the United States.
