Trump departs Malaysia for Japan

US President Donald Trump headed to Japan on Monday, the second leg of an Asia tour, in advance of a meeting with China's Xi Jinping aiming to end the bruising trade war between the world's largest economies. Washington and Beijing sounded hopeful notes at the weekend over the chances of sealing a deal, which helped on Monday to push Japan's Nikkei above 50,000 points for the first time.

Trump is expected to land in Tokyo in time for an evening appointment with the Emperor of Japan, before a meeting on Tuesday with the nation's new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi said she told Trump ahead of the meeting that strengthening the Japan-US alliance was her administration's "top priority on the diplomatic and security front".