In January 1983, Yasuhiro Nakasone, the new prime minister of Japan, visited Ronald Reagan in Washington. For part of their talks, the two men “conferred together alone and in English.” According to Nakasone, “He said “call me Ron” and I replied “call me Yasu”.” Their next meeting, he said, would start with “Hi Ron” and “Hi Yasu.”
The friendship became known as the “Ron and Yasu” relationship. The first-name exchange did not settle the hard questions between the two countries, however. The Spectator noted that it “did not, however, produce any breakthroughs in the issues so long in dispute.”