“A friendship like few others” is how President Donald Trump described the United States-Japan relationship in January, declaring his confidence that “the cherished alliances between our two countries will continue to flourish long into the future!” Not even half a year later, is the shine already coming off what was heralded as a new “golden age” of ties between the two nations? Trade talks between the two countries, initially expected to yield a quick agreement, have become a slog with the Jul 9 deadline fast approaching. Japan has scrapped a top-level defence meeting it would normally be desperate to attend amid ... (full story)