Abe's errors of judgement could cost him dearly

Tokyo

PRIME Minister Shinzo Abe nailed his colours firmly to the mast of the United States when he visited Donald Trump in New York even before the president-elect had set foot in the Oval Office, and at a time when it was still far from clear what course the US ship of state was going to follow in Asia.

Japanese leaders have long been eager to ingratiate themselves with new US leaders and to reiterate the virtues of the "special relationship" that is supposed to exist between the two countries. But (to revert to a nautical analogy) Mr Abe may have gone a little overboard on this occasion.