The Wall Street Journal reports that “Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered a stout defense of the U.S.-Japan alliance and warned against ‘naked nationalism’ amid an American presidential campaign in which the countries’ longtime security ties have been called into question.”  

“Mr. Abe also told The Wall Street Journal in an hourlong interview Tuesday that the U.S. and other wealthy nations should uphold existing trade deals, and said he wanted to push through a Pacific trade agreement that presidential candidates of both parties have called a bad deal for America.”  

“Asked whether U.S. troops could pull out of Japan and leave Tokyo to defend itself—a possibility raised by Republican front-runner Donald Trump—Mr. Abe was unequivocal. ‘I cannot conceive of any situation within the foreseeable future when the U.S. presence wouldn’t be necessary,’ he said.”