Japan PM's special advisor meets US officials close to Trump

Japanese ruling party lawmaker Nagashima Akihisa, who is also a special advisor to Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, said he met officials close to US President-elect Donald Trump during his visit to the United States.

Nagashima, who handles national security issues, said at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Sunday. He returned from a five-day trip to Washington that started Wednesday. The lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party said he met Senator Bill Hagerty, who served as US ambassador to Japan during the previous Trump administration, among others.

Nagashima said he asked them how the transition of government is proceeding. He also requested the next US administration to take over the policy of deepening the bilateral alliance, as well as strengthening coordination with like-minded partners for peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.