"Ishiba, it's unlikely that I'll meet Trump in person this year."

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is unlikely to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in person within this year, according to reports.

Kyodo News quoted a Japanese government source yesterday (16th) and reported that Prime Minister Ishiba is considering meeting with Trump after he takes office in January next year.

The Japanese government has considered whether Prime Minister Ishiba will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the G20 summit in South America and then stop in the U.S. to meet with Trump.

Earlier, Prime Minister Ishiba met with Japanese reporters in Lima, Peru, and said, "Nothing has been set in detail" regarding a meeting with Trump.

Prime Minister Ishiba, who took office last month, spoke to Trump on the phone on the 7th, two days after the U.S. presidential election, expressing his desire to have face-to-face talks as early as possible.

However, Trump is reportedly refraining from external schedules due to a flurry of pending issues, including a new administration.