Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after receiving an informal request from the US government to do so.

This was reported by the Asahi newspaper on Sunday, Feb. 17.

US government asked for it

Apparently, the US government had sounded Abe out over the Noble Peace Prize nomination after Trump's summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018.

This was the first meeting between a North Korean leader and a sitting US president.

The Asahi report cited an unnamed Japanese government source as the purveyor of this latest scoop of almost juvenile school yard politics.

Trump sung own praises

This latest revelation of Abe's chumminess with Trump became public following a news conference in the White House on Feb. 15.

Trump revealed that Abe gave him a copy of a five-page letter the prime minister sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prize.

Trump quoted Abe as saying: “I have nominated you, respectfully, on behalf of Japan.”

As for the reasons for the nomination, Trump said: “Because he had rocket ships and he had missiles flying over Japan. They had alarms going off. You know that. Now, all of a sudden they feel good. They feel safe. I did that.”

The US media reported on Trump's remarks with scepticism.

There was even speculation that Trump had confused South Korean President Moon Jae-in for Abe.

Abe's Trump support

Abe’s eagerness to praise Trump started with the Japanese leader being the first foreign leader to meet with the new US president-elect soon after the 2016 presidential election.

Abe also described the recent US mid-term elections results as a “historic victory” when he met with Trump in November 2018, despite it being less decisive: Democrats captured the House and Republicans added a few more seats to their majority in the Senate.

No comment from Japan and US

In the aftermath of the revelations, a spokesman for Japan's Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said the ministry was aware of Trump's remarks, but "would refrain from commenting on the interaction between the two leaders", Asahi reported.

The White House had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters.

Nobel Foundation's rules for nominations

The Nobel Foundation's website says a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize may be submitted by any person who meets the nomination criteria.

The deadline for nominating candidates for the prize is February every year.

College professors and members of the parliament in each country, as well as former Nobel laureates, are eligible to recommend candidates.

Under the foundation's rules, names and other information about unsuccessful nominations cannot be disclosed for 50 years.

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