united states joins me now from san francisco via skype good to have you with us live on al-jazeera mr cowen let's just begin with how much of this meeting is about japan really reminding president trump that it's not just about a nuclear deal that's at stake there are long term regional issues and of course concerns that japan has over the abduction cases the high on its agenda. well thanks for having me i think that it is a very complex set of issues of course your hand has a stake and an important stake in the outcomes in the discussions as does south korea as does china and so unfortunately i'm a bit pessimistic because with the current us administration and with president trying it seems to often be a case of who is the last person he spoke to or more importantly who was the last person he listened to so long he got a meeting with prime minister of a today who's to say who he might talk to tomorrow or next monday on the eve of the summit and so whether or not president trump is listening and understands japan's historical stake and there are a list of grievances i think very much remain

whether it is mr cowen or mr peskin, to do the same thing? that is my question. >> to answer your question, we really worked very hard, in a case by case basis and we take a lot of efforts. there's two of us to review these applications and we try to inform the business owners how it works and how the exception works and how -- and what they would need to do in order to comply or qualify for an exception. we try to really empower the business so it can make decisions. department of public health was not, you know, in support of the humidor ordinance. the department of public health is very, in my opinion, i've worked with them for 23 years, and they are very consistent. in trying to make sure it is equitable and fair. that is part of what i do when i go out. i provide all the sustainment information to these businesses that are facing, you know, when they don't qualify for an exception, and i provide them with the same information. and then we have two, you know, implement the law. which is what we are doing. i hope the humidor is able to qua