Aso informally requests talks with new U.S. president

Oct 26 05:22 PM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Oct. 27 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has sounded out close aides of the two U.S. presidential candidates about the possibility of arranging a bilateral meeting with the winner of the U.S. presidential election on the sidelines of an emergency summit of the Group of 20 economies on Nov. 15 in Washington, government sources said Sunday.

It would be rare for a Japanese prime minister to meet a new U.S. leader prior to inauguration. Aso plans to attend the emergency G-20 summit meeting aimed at alleviating the global financial crisis. The summit will take place after the Nov. 4 U.S. presidential election.

Aso is aiming to demonstrate his strength in diplomacy by confirming bilateral cooperation on the financial crisis and reaffirming the Japan-U.S. alliance in the hope of enhancing his political influence in the government and the ruling coalition, the sources said.

According to the sources, Aso has informally requested a meeting with Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain through the Japanese Embassy in the United States.

It is still unclear whether Aso will be able to meet the next U.S. leader as planned on the sidelines of the G-20 summit due to uncertainty about the schedule, the sources said, adding the presidential candidates may not be willing to hold such an early bilateral meeting with the Japanese leader prior to the inauguration ceremony in January.

Even if the request to hold talks in November is not realized, Aso would like to secure a promise from the U.S. side to set an early date for bilateral summit talks, they added.

Aso will likely make special arrangements for a meeting with Obama and could consider stopping over in Chicago, Illinois, Obama's home state, when flying to or from Washington, the sources said.

Obama may not be very familiar with U.S.-Japan relations, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official.

Making arrangements with McCain's side is expected to go smoothly as his aides include officials versed in bilateral ties such as Michael Green, former senior director at the National Security Council for Asian Affairs, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Japan and the United States are now in the process of making arrangements for the first bilateral summit between Aso and outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush, either on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting in Washington or at the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be convened in Lima on Nov. 22-23, the sources said.

The G-20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

APEC consists of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.