Japanese, South Korean leaders dissatisfied with Trump at G7 summit

AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, leaders of two major U.S. allies in Asia seeking to address tariff disputes with President Trump, held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven Leaders Summit in Canada, which President Trump did not attend, News.Az reports citing The Washington Times.

Mr. Ishiba had a face-to-face with Mr. Trump before the American president left the summit abruptly Monday, with administration officials citing developments in the Israel-Iran war. Mr. Lee did not, though the meeting with his Japanese counterpart is expected to ease concerns that the newly-minted president, a longtime South Korean politician with a history of Japan-bashing, would derail the developing trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington. That alliance is seen by many as a necessary counterbalance in a region where China, North Korea and Russia converge.

On the economic front, however, developments in Kananaskis, Alberta, were less rosy for the Asian leaders. Absent any breakthrough in the next 20 days, U.S. sanctions of up to 26% look set to strike their export dependent economies on July 8.

News.Az