US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about the prospects for a trade accord between Washington and Tokyo as he welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the White House.
"I think a lot will be accomplished," Trump told reporters with Abe sitting alongside him in the Oval Office on Friday.
"We have a chance to make a very good and long term trade deal with Japan."
The president, who is set to visit Japan next month, suggested that an agreement may be signed during that trip.
"I think it can go fairly quickly. Maybe by the time I'm over there, maybe we sign it over there. But it's moving along very nicely, we'll see what happens," Trump said.
The president accepted an invitation from Abe to come to Tokyo at the end of May and become the first foreign leader to meet with the new emperor, Naruhito, who is set to succeed his father, Akihito, on May 1.
In June, the Japanese city of Osaka will be hosting the G20 summit, and Abe has strongly lobbied Trump to attend the gathering.
Despite a warm personal relationship with Abe, Trump has repeatedly complained about the US trade deficit with Japan.
Japan is the fourth-largest US trading partner.
Last year, the president imposed tariffs on imports of Japanese steel and aluminium and threatened to slap levies on vehicles from Japan.
Washington has been pressing Japan to eliminate tariffs on US agricultural products, while at the same time calling on Japanese automakers to cut back on exports in favour of boosting production at their plants in the United States.
Trump and Abe are expected to play golf together on Saturday.
