Posted on 05/22/2019 7:44:14 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
TOKYO − Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be taking U.S. President Donald Trump to a traditional Japanese charcoal grill restaurant in Tokyo for an intimate and informal dinner during his visit to Japan from the weekend, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
Abe and Trump will be joined by their wives, Akie and Melania, at the Sunday dinner in the Roppongi district in a quiet setting to taste a "robatayaki" cuisine of meat, fish and vegetables grilled over a charcoal fire.
Small casual dinners have been a go-to formula for Japanese prime ministers when entertaining U.S leaders to foster close relations. Abe took Trump to a "teppanyaki" iron-plate grill steak dinner in 2017 and Barack Obama to renowned sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro in 2014.
In 2002, then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took George W. Bush to an "izakaya" Japanese-style pub during his visit.
Abe and Trump's dinner will be preceded by a round of golf at the Mobara Country Club and the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan where the U.S. president will present to the winner a trophy specially made for the occasion.
Security will be tightened during Trump's four-day-visit starting Saturday, including a ban on drones within 300 meters of 10 locations where Trump is expected to be.
These include Tokyo's Haneda airport, Trump's hotel, the State Guest House -- a venue for the two leaders' summit Monday -- as well as a Maritime Self-Defense Force base in Yokosuka where the two plan to board Japan's Izumo-class helicopter carrier Kaga.
The Trumps will also be the first guests received by the imperial couple since Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne this month, with a palace banquet held for them a day before their departure on May 28.
Benihana rocks. Fact.
Respect.
Very cool!
Oh Tokyo,
They got some saki, and sashimi, and some clean sheets,
Oh, kimono, oh, kimono,
Tokyo’s the town that I love the best,
East may be East, and West may be West,
Forget about between, it’ll drive you insane,
And teach you things you never knew before.
Loudon Wainwright III - From “MASH”
Good news and good ping.
My guess is that a good deal of this will be China and defense related.
Very, very timely.
Sounds very yummy =)
Hmmmm I remember the last R that dined in Japan.
Wonder if the fences have been rebuilt???
Musta been the Sooooshi
Hope he goes to one where the chef does those fancy knife tricks right at your table. Just as long as it’s not in London.
And they better have ketchup.
Having done business in Japan for 30 years, this is a very nice and warm gesture on the PMs part. Elegant in it’s simplicity.
Note to Donald- load up on brand new socks for this trip.
Btw- Benihana of Tokyo (tepanyaki style cooking) is called Benihana of New York there.
Just don’t puke there like Bush did.
Maybe some yakitori.. Ummmm.
Robatayaki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robatayaki
Roppongi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roppongi
Mobara Country Club ...maybe?
https://thegolfcourses.com/club/minami-mobara-country-club
Emperor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruhito
That is so cool that Trump is going to present a trophy to the sumo champ.
And yes, as someone was saying, military stuff and China are likely on the agenda.
A soba noodle bar would be nice too.
CC
He is going to present the Trump Cup to the Sumo winner.
I guess it will be a bigly one.
I think the best Sumo wrestlers today are Mongolian, not Japanese.
Wow, seems like a lot of fine festivities are planned! Thanks for the post, 2ndDiv!
Any FReeper out there spent some time in Sasebo, Japan. Loved my time there. And eating at various kinds of specialty restaurants was the high point. Loved robatayaki.
I saw that, in the Ginza in the mid 1980s. Was amused.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.