U.S. President Donald Trump began the first leg of his Asian tour in Japan on Sunday for a visit in which he will look to put on show with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the strength of their countries' defense alliance in the face of the North Korea threat while promoting their shared values.

The two leaders spent part of the first day of Trump's three-day trip -- his first to Japan since taking office in January -- sharing their passion for golf at a country club just outside Tokyo.

"We are in the midst of having very major discussions on many subjects, including North Korea and trade and other things, and we're doing very well," Trump told reporters before having dinner with Abe in Tokyo after their golf game.


Golf: Matsuyama calls golf with Abe, Trump 'once-in-a-lifetime' event


In their summit Monday, Abe and Trump are likely to reconfirm their shared stance of applying the maximum possible pressure on North Korea to compel it to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

While there has been no significant provocation by Pyongyang in recent weeks, both Japan and the United States have kept the North Korea issue high on their agenda and will remain on alert for further provocations timed to coincide with Trump's tour.

Abe has repeatedly voiced support for Trump's position that all options, including military action, are "on the table" in responding to Pyongyang, but Trump's visit offers him a chance to reiterate his backing in person.

Speaking before a crowd of U.S. and Japanese troops after arriving in Air Force One on Sunday morning at the U.S. Yokota Air Base in the suburbs of Tokyo, Trump refrained from mentioning North Korea by name.

But he warned that "no one -- no dictator, no regime and no nation -- should underestimate, ever, American resolve."

He also hailed the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance and praised efforts by U.S. allies to "renew their commitment to peace through strength."

"For almost 60 years, the military alliance...has endured (as) a cornerstone of sovereignty, security and prosperity for our nations, this region and indeed the entire world," Trump said.

Trump earlier told journalists aboard Air Force One en route to Japan that Washington will decide "very soon" on whether to relist North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.

He also said he plans to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he expects to meet at a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Vietnam during his tour, and ask him for increased cooperation in reining in Pyongyang.

On Sunday afternoon, the leaders played golf together with Japanese professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama.

Returning to his office ahead of a dinner with Trump in the capital, Abe said he and Trump "had the kind of great conversations one can only have during golf."

"Golf clubs are where we can both relax and share our real feelings, and we took our time having a frank talk about all sorts of difficult topics," Abe said.

Trump uploaded a short video from the golf club to his Twitter account, calling Abe and Matsuyama "two wonderful people."

After the summit the following day, Trump is scheduled to meet relatives of some of the Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. One of the five abductees who were returned to Japan in 2002 is expected to join the meeting, people close to the matter said.

The meeting is a nod to Abe's repeated efforts to make the abduction issue a talking point for the Trump administration. Abe heaped praise on Trump's mention of prominent abductee Megumi Yokota, who was 13 years old when she disappeared in 1977, in his address at the U.N. General Assembly in September.


Trump to meet Abe, abductees' kin during Japan trip from Nov. 5


Abe and Trump are also expected to share their concerns about maritime security issues, eyeing China's expansionary activities in the East and South China seas and Indian Ocean.

Trump's visit to Japan comes just ahead of the annual leaders' summits of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, members of which are engaged in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

Speaking at Yokota, Trump said the United States will "partner with friends and allies to pursue a free and open Indo-Pacific region" during his trip.

Abe and Trump are also likely to stress their cooperation on economic and trade issues while demurring on the specifics of future bilateral trade, a sticking point in the relationship.

With Washington keen to pursue a Japan-U.S. trade deal that would likely put Tokyo in a weaker negotiating position, the issue is being worked out in a dialogue framework helmed by Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.

Ahead of Monday's summit, Trump is also set to meet Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

On Sunday, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono held meetings in Tokyo with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

Ahead of Trump's visit, his eldest daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump spent three days in Tokyo through Saturday, during which she held talks with Abe and other officials.

After leaving Japan on Tuesday, Trump is set to travel to South Korea and China before attending the regional meetings in Vietnam and the Philippines.