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Top Asian News 3:44 a.m. GMT

TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that he would back the Japanese prime minister's efforts to open communications with Iran, citing Japan's good relations with the U.S. nemesis in the Middle East. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering a visit to Iran next month amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran's nuclear program and destabilizing activities in the region. Trump, who has said that he's open to having a dialogue with Iran, has sought to downplay fears of military conflict, but the Iranians have said they have no interest in communicating with the White House. "I know that the prime minister and Japan have a very good relationship with Iran so we'll see what happens," Trump said while meeting in Tokyo with Abe.

TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump watched sumo wrestling with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday, becoming the first American leader to do so. Trump, who is on a four-day state visit to Japan, presented a special U.S.-made trophy to the winner. Some key facts about sumo, which is deeply tied to Japan's ancient religion of Shinto: ___ SHINTO RITUAL The origins of sumo can be traced back to the Shinto ritual for a good harvest at imperial courts in the 8th century. It later was used as martial arts training for samurais before becoming entertainment for the people during the Edo period, with the introduction of stylized rules including the art of entering the ring, the use of loin cloths, topknots and kimonos, as well as fighting regulations.

TOKYO (AP) — Seemingly contradicting his national security adviser , President Donald Trump on Sunday played down North Korea's recent missile tests and said they were not a concern for him. The comments tweeted during his trip to Japan were sure to unnerve leaders of the U.S. ally that is directly threatened by short-range weapons from its Asian neighbor. While America is not, there are tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Japan and South Korea. Trump also said North Korea's Kim Jong Un's criticism of Joe Biden , the former vice president who is among the Democrats running for the White House in 2020, made him smile.

TOKYO (AP) — Melania Trump was perfectly cool Sunday at an air-conditioned interactive digital museum in Tokyo where she drew a purple fish and had it projected on a digital aquarium on the wall, as she and her host, Japanese first lady Akie Abe, joined dozens of schoolchildren while their husbands played golf under the scorching sun. Mrs. Trump drew the fish for a girl named Julia, and wrote underneath it: "Julia, Best Wishes, Melania Tump." Her autograph became popular, prompting children to line up. The first lady signed on the back of each student's artwork, along with a message "Be Best!" — her children's initiative.

The Trumps and Japan's new emperor and empress have exchanged photos and other gifts. Emperor Naruhito presented President Donald Trump with a traditional Japanese pottery and porcelain bowl. Trump gave the emperor with an American-made viola in a custom case handmade in Charleston, West Virginia, and a photo of U.S. composer Aaron Copland. Mrs. Trump presented Empress Masako with a White House desk set featuring a fountain pen made from a red oak tree that stands on the grounds of Harvard University. The empress studied economics at Harvard. The empress presented the first lady an ornamental box with a traditional Japanese design.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Monday called U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton a "war monger" and "defective human product" after he called the North's recent tests of short-range missile a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The statement by an unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesman came as President Donald Trump continued his visit to Japan for meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in which the nuclear standoff with North Korea was expected to be high on the agenda. Bolton told reporters in Tokyo on Saturday that there was "no doubt" that North Korea's recent launches violated U.N.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Three explosions killed three people and wounded at least eight in different parts of Nepal's capital on Sunday, with police suspecting that an outlawed communist group was responsible. Police official Shyam Lal Gyawali said authorities were investigating the blasts. The first two explosions occurred within minutes apart in two Kathmandu neighborhoods, while the third one was a few hours later. Police said they suspect that a group that once split from the ruling Communist party was responsible for the blasts because its members have been protesting the arrests of their supporters by the authorities. The first explosion occurred in northern Kathmandu, killing two people and injuring five, police said.

HONG KONG (AP) — More than 2,000 people marched in Hong Kong on Sunday to mark 30 years since a pro-democracy protest in Beijing's Tiananmen Square ended in bloodshed. Demonstrators took to the streets holding yellow umbrellas that read "Support Freedom, Oppose Evil Laws." Some people carried a black coffin, while others wheeled white crosses and the numbers 6 and 4 — a nod to the day on June 4, 1989, when leaders of China's ruling Communist Party ordered the military to re-take Tiananmen Square from student-led protesters. Hundreds, if not thousands, of unarmed protesters and onlookers were killed late on June 3 and in the early hours of June 4 as a result of the martial action.

BANGKOK (AP) — Prem Tinsulanonda, who as an army commander, prime minister and adviser to the royal palace was one of Thailand's most influential political figures over four decades, died Sunday at age 98. A statement from the palace said Prem died of heart failure at Bangkok's Phra Mongkutklao hospital, and had served the throne loyally, contributing beneficially to the country. Prem was best known for his long-standing devotion to the monarchy, especially the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who appointed him to his Privy Council immediately after Prem's eight years as prime minister, and named him head of that powerful advisory body in 1998, a position he held until his death.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Newly reelected Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison named his Cabinet on Sunday, a week after his conservative coalition won a surprise victory. Morrison named Ken Wyatt as the indigenous affairs minister. Wyatt was the first indigenous man to become a federal government minister when he took on aged care in January 2017. "Incredibly honoured to be the first Aboriginal Minister for Indigenous Australians," Wyatt tweeted. Morrison also announced that Marise Payne will be the women's minister as well as foreign minister, the position she held in his previous government. Payne is one of a record seven women in the Cabinet.