Donald Trump, Shinzo Abe set golf date for start of US leader's Asia tour

Japan is the first stop for Trump on a trip that will also take him to South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a press conference at his Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo.|AP

TOKYO: Donald Trump will start his first trip to Asia as the U.S. president next month in somewhat predictable fashion: with a round of golf.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Trump on a phone call Monday that a joint outing with Japanese pro Hideki Matsuyama has been set up for Nov. 5, the start of a lengthy Asia tour for the American leader.

The Japanese government said in a statement that Trump told Abe that he is really looking forward to visiting Japan.

Japan is the first stop for Trump on a trip that will also take him to South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. He will also stop in Hawaii.

Both Trump and Abe are avid golfers. They golfed together in Florida in February, shortly after Trump took office.