Following a quickly arranged 90-minute meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan, Abe expressed to reporters that he was confident in the possibility of establishing a trusting relationship. However, he did not share specific details of the discussion as it was an unofficial meeting. The meeting took place at a time when Japan's leadership was concerned about the future of their alliance with the United States, which is crucial to Tokyo's diplomacy and security. Abe and other Asian leaders were troubled by Trump's campaign promises to make allies contribute more financially to US forces, his suggestion that Japan should obtain its own nuclear weapons, and his strong opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Trump, a Republican, will take over from Democratic President Barack Obama on Jan 20. Abe described his discussion with Trump as open and friendly, emphasizing the importance of trust in alliances. He expressed confidence in Trump as a reliable leader and agreed to meet again to discuss a wider range of topics. It is uncertain if this meeting will take place before Trump's inauguration. Kellyanne Conway stated that more detailed conversations about policy and the Japan-US relationship will have to wait until after the inauguration. Trump officials did not provide immediate comment after meeting with Abe, a seasoned lawmaker who collaborated closely with Obama on the 12-nation TPP trade agreement, a key part of Obama's efforts to counter China's growing power and a cornerstone of Abe's economic reforms. During their meeting, Abe and Trump exchanged golfing gear as gifts, as per a statement from the Japanese government. Photographs taken inside the lavish meeting room at Trump Tower featured Abe, an interpreter, Trump, Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner, and Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. In terms of filling administration roles, a senior Trump official disclosed on Thursday that Flynn had been offered the position of national security adviser. It was unclear if Flynn had accepted the job, but a source familiar with the offer said to Reuters that when the president-elect asks you to serve, there is only one answer. As the upcoming Trump administration gets ready to take office on Jan 20, a Pentagon spokesperson mentioned that the Defense Department would provide its first military briefing for Trump transition officials on Friday. Various Obama administration agencies, such as the Justice Department, were also taking similar actions. Despite never holding public office before, Trump has been focused on selecting senior positions for his administration since winning the election last week. Democrats in Congress continued to criticize Trump's decision to appoint right-wing firebrand Stephen Bannon as senior counsellor. A spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, stated that during a meeting with Vice President-elect Mike Pence, she requested that the appointment be reconsidered. Meanwhile, Trump has been holding meetings at Trump Tower with individuals who could potentially serve in senior positions on his governing team. He is scheduled to meet with Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee in the 2012 presidential election, on Saturday to discuss the possibility of Romney becoming secretary of state, according to a source familiar with the meeting. This potential development is surprising, as Romney previously criticized Trump and urged Republicans not to vote for him during the presidential nomination process. Trump made fun of Romney during the election by saying he performed poorly and "choked like a dog" in the 2012 race against Obama. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso stated that it was advantageous for Abe to meet Trump before he becomes president due to the importance of Japan-US relations. Abe's adviser, Katsuyuki Kawai, mentioned that he had discussed with Trump's advisers and lawmakers and was informed that Trump's public statements should not be taken too literally. Abe has increased Japan's defense spending since becoming prime minister in 2012 and has pushed the boundaries of its pacifist constitution to allow for a larger global military role. Defense spending in Japan is currently a little over 1 percent of GDP, while the United States spends over 3 percent. The US is expected to spend $5.745 billion on its forces in Japan for the 2017 fiscal year. Japan's Defense Ministry reported that expenses related to US troops in Japan were approximately 720 billion yen ($6.6 billion) in the previous year. Some of President Trump's campaign statements portrayed Japan as a threat to jobs and relying on the US for defense, a perception that was more negative than the view of his adviser, who presented a more optimistic outlook. He commented that the prime minister has been more aggressive and direct in attempting to make changes to Japan's global stance. Abe was scheduled to meet with Obama at a summit in Peru over the weekend. Prior to Abe meeting with Trump, John Kerry and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met in Lima to talk about the Paris climate agreement, which Trump has promised to withdraw from. Some diplomats believe that it will be difficult to evaluate Trump's security policies regarding issues such as the deployment of US troops overseas, China's assertiveness in maritime matters, and the North Korean nuclear threat until he makes key appointments.