Hospitality not a sign of harmony and consensus

A merry round of golf, capped by a sweet selfie for two that went viral online, followed by double cheeseburgers made with American beef. Ending with the awarding of the Made-in-America United States President's Cup, at a meticulously arranged sumo show that was "really great".

And, most important of all, the precious opportunity of becoming the first foreign dignitary to be received by the new Japanese emperor. From the minute he arrived in Japan on Saturday for a four-day state visit, United States President Donald Trump has been indulged with a series of high-profile shows of cordiality on both the personal and government levels.

His host, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, has made no secret of his desire to highlight the strength of the Japan-US alliance. Abe is believed to have cultivated a close personal bond with the current US president, which has allegedly protected Tokyo from harsh blows amid Washington's recent moves to reshape trade ties.