(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) kyo April 24 - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Barack Obama have indicated they want to strengthen the alliance between their countries for the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. Abe and Obama met at the State Guest House in Tokyo on Thursday. Obama is on a 3-day state visit to Japan. It's his first trip to the country in about 3-and-a-half years Japan's (NHK World) reported. At the beginning of the meeting Abe said Japan and the United States hope to use their alliance to take the leading role in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. Abe said he strongly supports the US strategic rebalance toward Asia. He also said his administration will proactively contribute to regional peace and stability. Obama said the US-Japan alliance is the foundation for security in the Asia-Pacific region but also for the region as a whole. He added that he is confident the two countries will continue to make progress because of their strong cooperation. The leaders are believed to have confirmed that the Japan-US security treaty covers all the territories under the administration of Japan including the Senkaku Islands. Abe and Obama were expected to seek a breakthrough in negotiations over the TPP trade deal. Delegates from Japan and the US failed to reach an agreement in ministerial-level talks. Obama is believed to have expressed support for Abe's move to try to reinterpret the Constitution to allow Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense. Abe and Obama are scheduled to issue a statement at a news conference.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.