WASHINGTON — Donald Trump threatened Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe he would ship 25 million Mexicans to his country, one of a series of bizarre missives that jarred fellow leaders at last week’s acrimonious G7 meet, according to a report on Friday.
The Group of Seven summit gathering of top industrialized democracies finished in disarray after the US president abruptly rejected its consensus statement and bitterly attacked Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Behind the scenes, Trump’s counterparts were dismayed by verbal jabs on topics ranging from trade to terrorism and migration, The Wall Street Journal said, quoting European officials who were present.
At one point he described migration as a big problem for Europe then said to Abe: “Shinzo, you don’t have this problem, but I can send you 25 million Mexicans and you’ll be out of office very soon,” creating a sense of irritation in the room, according to an EU official.
The source added that when the topic turned to Iran and terrorism, Trump took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, saying: “You must know about this, Emmanuel, because all the terrorists are in Paris.”
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also came under fire and was repeatedly described by Trump as a “brutal killer” about the bloc’s antitrust and tax fines against US tech companies that have run into billions of dollars.
Bitter differences over trade dominated the summit hosted by Canada, with leaders of the world’s largest economies lining up against Trump’s threats to impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
After rejecting the joint statement, Trump and his top aides assailed Trudeau, accusing him of dishonesty and betrayal.
Trump on Friday rejected reports of discord, blaming the “Fake News Media” on Twitter for portraying a false picture while posting several photos of himself appearing to get along well with fellow G7 leaders.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday called on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to jointly overcome their mutual distrust, as he confirmed ongoing efforts to arrange a Japan-North Korea summit.
In a television interview, Abe said his government has contacted the North Korean side “through various channels” in a bid to arrange a meeting with Kim.
During historic talks with US President Donald Trump in Singapore on Tuesday, Kim reportedly said he was open to a meeting with Abe.
Japan wants the talks to push the emotive issue of citizens abducted by the North decades ago, which has seen little movement despite a whirlwind of international diplomacy in recent months.
“I want to take a step forward and resolve the (abduction) issue after each of us breaks our mutual distrust,” Abe said.
“I have a strong sense of mission to resolve the issue under my own responsibility,” he added.
Abe has already said publicly that he would be willing to meet Kim to resolve the abduction issue.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono is considering talks with his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN envoys in Singapore starting in late July, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
During the interview, Abe expressed a readiness to finance denuclearization costs in North Korea.
In the joint statement following Tuesday’s talks with Trump, Kim agreed to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
“It is natural for Japan and other countries which would benefit from easing fears of nuclear weapons to bear the costs,” Abe said.
But Abe warned that Tokyo has no plan to give financial aid to Pyongyang without a resolution of the abduction issue.
The issue of Japanese citizens who were abducted in the 1970s and 1980s to help Pyongyang train its spies has long soured already strained relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang.
The Japanese government has officially listed 17 people as abductees, but suspects dozens more were snatched.
Japan has maintained a hardline position on North Korea despite the stepped-up diplomacy with Pyongyang in recent months and has been left largely on the sidelines as South Korea, China and the United States have held talks with Kim.
