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12 tweets,
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I wonder whether some of the discussion of Abe's relationship-building with Trump is missing some historical context. The fact is that every Japanese prime minister has to find a way to get along with the president of the United States. 1/11
Abe might be going to greater lengths than some of his predecessors, but that has less to do with Japan and Abe than with Trump, whose trips seem to require that the balance between substance and ceremony skew sharply to the latter. 2/11
Meanwhile, Abe's interest in personal diplomacy predates Trump, is wider-reaching than Trump - and is something of a family tradition. 3/11 
He's hosted Putin to an onsen in his home prefecture of Yamaguchi. spfusa.org/research/onsen… 4/11
And has been enthusiastic about his fairly frequent meetings with Putin. 5/11
He's also hosted Modi at his vacation home in Yamanashi prefecture, the first world leader he's hosted there. 6/11
He even tried to give his relationship with Obama the personal touch, taking him to Sukibayashi Jiro in 2014 (although Obama often seemed less interested in the kind of personal diplomacy Abe relishes - maybe one reason why Abe feels more comfortable with Trump.) 7/11
US presidents have been regular state guests of the Emperor, and there is little doubt that any US president who have been the first state guest for Naruhito. 8/11
While Trump's visit to the Ryogoku Kokugikan may have some unique features, cultural diplomacy is not new... 9/11
In either direction. 10/11
I guess my point is that there's enough about Trump and his administration that is different, what Abe is doing is consistent both with what he and other PMs have done in the past, and what Abe has done with other leaders, at least in kind if not in degree. 11/11
Some thoughts on this thread from @DavidNakamura, with my replies as well.
