Mr. Abe is about to make a historic visit to Pearl Harbor.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will become the first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor, accompanying President Barack Obama later this month.

"I will visit Pearl Harbor with President Obama," Abe told reporters at the prime minister's office on December 5.

According to Reuters, the Japanese leader will visit Hawaii from December 26-27 and tour Pearl Harbor, the site of the surprise Japanese air raid on the US naval base in 1941, which marked the beginning of World War II in the Pacific.

Abe said the purpose of the visit was "to commemorate the victims" of the historic attack, and also considered it "an opportunity to express his views on the significance of reconciliation between Japan and the United States."

The trip was decided upon during President Obama's visit to Hiroshima in May to attend the G7 summit held in Ise-Shima, Nagoya, Japan. The visit to Pearl Harbor was also the final meeting between Prime Minister Abe and President Obama before Obama leaves office next January.

President Obama (left) with Prime Minister Abe during Obama's visit to Japan in May. Photo: Getty

The visit to Hawaii comes amid President-elect Donald Trump's statements that he will review the US relationship with its allies, including Japan.

Pearl Harbor is the most famous historical landmark of the Hawaiian Islands, USA. This deep-water harbor is located west of Honolulu on the island of O'ahu, in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, swarms of Japanese fighter planes unexpectedly bombed American warships at Pearl Harbor. This was a crucial turning point in World War II, leading to the United States' decision to officially enter the war.

In August, the wife of the Japanese Prime Minister, Akie Abe, visited and laid flowers at the USS Arizona Memorial on Oahu Island, Hawaii, during a two-hour visit to Pearl Harbor.

The Obama administration was not happy with the Abe-Trump meeting.

The Obama administration is reportedly unhappy with last month's meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in New York.

According to Zing.vn