Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced his resignation due to a chronic illness, spoke with US President Donald Trump over the phone.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a regular press conference today (31) that Prime Minister Abe had held telephone talks with President Trump for about 30 minutes starting around 10 am.

Prime Minister Abe explained directly to President Trump that he was resigned during his tenure as a recurrence of ulcerative colitis was confirmed.

President Trump is known to have expressed his position that he is "regretful of the resignation of Prime Minister Abe, his best friend."


Prime Minister Abe then expressed his gratitude, saying that the relationship between the two countries has strengthened unprecedented by deepening cooperation between the United States and Japan through numerous traffic and telephone contacts based on a deep trust relationship with President Trump.

He stressed that the new prime minister, who succeeded him, would also strengthen the US-Japan alliance.

(Photo = US President Donald Trump Twitter capture, Yonhap News)