Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed optimism on Sunday that his country could avoid higher U.S. tariffs, saying President Donald Trump had "recognised" Japan's huge investment in the U.S.

President Donald Trump says he wants to slash the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. Trump made the comments as he welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to the White House on Friday for their first face-to-face meeting.

IN HIGH SCHOOL, Ishiba Shigeru joined the golf club. But he abandoned the sport after entering politics. The elitist hobby did not suit his image as a man of the people from rural Tottori, in Japan’s west (never mind that,