Japan might be routinely hailed as one of the best places in the world for food but that has not inspired Donald Trump to deviate from his strict all-American diet.
There was not a trace of ramen, sushi or tempura on President Trump’s plate at a casual lunch with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday.
The billionaire property developer instead relished in eating a hamburger sourced from American beef during his first trip to Japan as President. Mr Trump chose to have his burger well-done as he has become so famed for doing with his steaks.
"I welcome President Donald J Trump most wholeheartedly on his visit to Japan! We're getting down to business right away over hamburgers for our working lunch," said a message on the Facebook page of the Japanese prime minister's office.
President Trump played golf with Mr Abe at the Kasumigaseki Country Club - alongside professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama - on his first day in the country.
According to an excerpt from the book Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J Trump, during a trip to Japan back in 1990 Mr Trump said he would not eat "f***ing raw fish" and instead devoured a hamburger at McDonald's which cheered him up massively.
President Trump’s weakness for burgers and well-done steak has been well-documented as he has chosen to divulge his culinary tastes on various social media platforms. This has included eating a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken while reading The Wall Street Journal and indulging in a McDonald’s burger and fries to celebrate winning the Republican presidential nomination.
Mr Trump also heaped praise on McDonald’s at a CNN town-hall-style meeting in February of last year, saying: “The Big Macs are great. The Quarter Pounder. It’s great stuff.”
President Trump has stoked controversy for upending a box of fish food into a pond of koi carp during a ritual designed to welcome visiting guests at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo.
He joined Mr Abe in feeding the valuable colourful fish by spooning food from a box during the ceremony. Mr Abe finished by flicking the remaining food in his box into the pond at which point Mr Trump upended his with a smirk.
Mr Trump is on the first stop of a five-nation trip through Asia - he will next head to Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.
