The U.S. leader is likely to feel a sense of loss as the Japanese premier announced Friday that he will step down. Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has had close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump. The pair are on a first-name basis and known for their special relationship in the G7 grouping. Abe is said to have meditated at times between Trump and other G7 leaders.

Among other countries, China had initially been cautious toward Abe, anticipating hawkish policies against it. But Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held as many as 11 summit talks.

The two men worked on improving bilateral relations, prompting some Chinese government officials to consider Abe as a trustworthy negotiation partner. Abe had led efforts toward Xi’s trip to Japan, a plan that was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Japanese officials expressed concern that the visit could become increasingly difficult.