U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he had a "very good conversation" with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about North Korea and trade.

The phone call happened days after North Korea fired multiple short-range projectiles into the East Sea in apparent frustration over stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States.

"Just spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan concerning North Korea and Trade. Very good conversation!" Trump tweeted.

This AP photo shows Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on April 26, 2019.

Hours later, the White House released a statement saying the two men discussed "recent developments on North Korea and reaffirmed U.S.-Japan unity in how to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization" of the North.

Japan has been a strong advocate of maintaining U.S.-led sanctions on the North as a way to pressure the regime to give up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

North Korea has demanded that the U.S. lift some of the sanctions in exchange for incremental steps toward denuclearization.

The White House said the two leaders also discussed trade issues and Trump's trip to Japan later this month. The U.S. president will be the first foreign leader to visit the country following the enthronement of Japanese Emperor Naruhito last week.

Trump and Abe also held talks in Washington last month as the U.S. and Japan look to sign a trade deal.(Yonhap)

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