Abe, Bush discuss N Korea, sex slaves, climate, beef issues

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President George W Bush reaffirmed a strong bilateral alliance Friday and warned North Korea of more sanctions unless it acts on a February promise to take initial denuclearization steps soon.

In the summit talks to foster closer friendship during Abe's first visit to the United States as premier, Abe expressed to Bush his apology over the Japanese military's wartime sex exploitation of Asian women, reiterating his sympathy for them, and Bush said he accepted the apology and "appreciated his candor."

At the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland just outside Washington, the two leaders also resolved to continue cooperation on Iraq's reconstruction, agreed in a joint statement to confront climate change and concurred to enhance bilateral and global trade.

"The biggest objective for my visit this time was to reaffirm the irreplaceable Japan-U.S. alliance and make it grow stronger as an unshakeable alliance," Abe told a joint news conference afterwards.

Describing their meeting as a "very constructive, strong dialogue," Bush said they agreed on the need to press North Korea to implement the initial denuclearization steps contained in a Feb 13 agreement at the six-party talks. The president also underscored his commitment to help Japan resolve the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korea.

"Our partners in the six-party talks are patient, but our patience is not unlimited," Bush said, noting, "We have the capability of more sanctions."

The confirmation of unity against North Korea came amid growing concern that Washington is softening its stance on Pyongyang and that Japan will be isolated if it insists on not participating in the provision of aid without first seeing progress on resolving the abduction issue.

Abe, who sought to forge tight personal ties with Bush like those enjoyed by his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi, referred to the president by his first name George several times at the news conference, in an apparent move to show the friendship they developed.

Abe made efforts to calm the furor in the United States over his March remarks denying the military coerced women to work in war brothels, repeating to congressional leaders on Thursday and to Bush on Friday his sympathy for the victims and regret about the misunderstanding.

In a joint statement on climate change and energy security issued after their meeting, Bush and Abe agreed to "work constructively" with international frameworks, including the Kyoto Protocol which Washington has not ratified, to advance clean energy technologies.

They agreed to remain committed to the "ultimate objective" of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations and promised to enhance bilateral high-level consultations on climate change, with in mind the post-Kyoto Protocol framework to be discussed at the summit of the Group of Eight nations in Japan next year.

A commitment from Washington, which followed an accord between Japan and China to cooperate on creating the new framework, is a boost for Abe as he seeks to take leadership on the issue which will be high on the agenda of the 2008 summit.

"To resolve the environmental issues and the greenhouse gas issue, I believe this agreement represents important progress," Abe said.

On the security alliance, Abe vowed to stand by the United States at all times, conveying to Bush his plans to revise the postwar pacifist Constitution and to also consider easing Japan's self-imposed ban on exercising the right of collective defense to protect allies under attack, moves that will broaden the global role of Japanese troops and enable further cooperation with U.S. forces.

Abe also expressed Japan's understanding and support for U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq, saying, "I would like to pay respect and express my gratitude for the noble sacrifice the United States is making" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The two leaders were also believed to have agreed on expediting the realignment of U.S. troops and deployment of a missile defense system in Japan.

On the economic front, the leaders agreed to demonstrate leadership to secure a successful outcome of the Doha Round of World Trade Organization free trade negotiations. They also welcomed progress in the bilateral sharing of information on each other's free trade agreements with third countries to deepen understanding.

Among trade issues between the two nations, Bush said he urged Japan to ease restrictions on U.S. beef imports, saying, "It's good beef, it's healthy beef...I'm going to feed the prime minister's delegation a good hamburger today for lunch."

The two sides endorsed enhanced bilateral efforts to protect intellectual property rights, strengthen global energy security and facilitate more secure trade flows and increase transparency of regulatory processes.

On Thursday, Abe visited a naval hospital to meet U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, and laid wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery.

Abe and his wife Akie then enjoyed dinner with the president and U.S. first lady Laura Bush, engaging in casual conversation, including on Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Japanese pitcher who plays for the Boston Red Sox, and exchanged gifts.

While it has been common for Japanese prime ministers to visit the United States soon after taking office, Abe broke with tradition and went first to China and South Korea in October to mend chilled ties. He met Bush in November on the sidelines of a regional summit in Hanoi.