Abe put on a master-class
When you look at Donald Trump's rhetoric and economic priorities, one of his main targets should be Japan. They compete with the US in high-tech manufacturing and the central bank has devalued the currency to be more competitive.
That's why what Abe did on the weekend was so impressive. He didn't waste any time after Trump was elected. He flew to New York and gave him a gold-plated golf club and the worked his way to the front of the line for a diplomatic visit.
Abe used golf and humility to become fast friends with Trump and accomplished all the goals of his trip. It was a tour-de-diplomatic-force. Surely a handful of other world leaders are wishing they had ignored some of the domestic anti-Trump rhetoric and cozied up.
Next up is Justin Trudeau. Economically, Canada isn't the same kind of rival. The central bank hasn't made the same kind of currency-weakening moves and the country isn't an obvious target for Trump's scorn.
But the leader is Justin Trudeau. He is the definition of an establishment politician (his father was a long-time Prime Minister). What might hurt him even more are his looks. With his long hair and youth, Trudeau looks a lot like the people who protested Trump's Presidency.
The pair just met in the Oval Office, smiled and shook hands for the cameras, but it will be interesting to see how the relationship develops.
