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Asia tour: Obama, Abe discuss regional security Obama Asia tour: US-Japan treaty 'covers disputed islands'
(about 1 hour later)
US President Barack Obama is meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for talks on regional security and trade, on the first full day of his Asia tour. US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his support for Japan in its row over islands with China, after talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Mr Abe is likely to seek US assurances of support over a territorial row with China over East China Sea Islands. Mr Obama, who is on a four-nation Asia tour, warned against escalation in the dispute and said he wanted to see the row resolved peacefully.
On Wednesday, Mr Obama said the US opposed any attempt to undermine Japanese control of the islands. But he confirmed that the islands fell under a security treaty that commits the US to act if Japan is attacked.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss a trade deal and the issue of North Korea. The two leaders also discussed a major trade deal and North Korea.
The US president arrived in Japan late on Wednesday ahead of stops in South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.The US president arrived in Japan late on Wednesday ahead of stops in South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.
He is not going to Beijing but relations with China are expected to dominate his meetings with regional leaders.He is not going to Beijing but relations with China are expected to dominate his meetings with regional leaders.
'Deep belief''Deep belief'
Mr Obama's trip - which ends on 29 April - comes nearly seven months after he cancelled a visit to the region because of a US government shutdown.Mr Obama's trip - which ends on 29 April - comes nearly seven months after he cancelled a visit to the region because of a US government shutdown.
Officials say it is aimed at reassuring America's Asian allies of its commitment to the region amid concern over China's growing power.Officials say it is aimed at reassuring America's Asian allies of its commitment to the region amid concern over China's growing power.
On Wednesday Mr Obama had an informal dinner with Mr Abe. The two leaders are due to issue a joint statement later on Thursday. On Wednesday Mr Obama had an informal dinner with Mr Abe. The two leaders then held talks on Thursday morning and gave a joint press conference.
"My visit here I think once again represents my deep belief that a strong US-Japan relationship is not only good for our countries, but the world,'' Mr Obama said as he went in to the talks. "Article five [of the US-Japan security treaty] covers all territories under Japan's administration including [the] Senkaku islands," Mr Obama said, echoing comments published in Wednesday's Yomiuri newspaper. "We do not believe that they should be subject to change unilaterally."
Top of Mr Abe's agenda will be securing explicit support from the US over the East China Sea islands dispute. "This is not a new position. This is a consistent one," he said.
However, Mr Obama also said he told Mr Abe that it "would be a profound mistake to continue to see escalation around this issue instead of dialogue".
The islands are called Senkaku and Japan and Diaoyu in China. Japan controls the islands but China has been strongly pressing its claim in recent months, flying and sailing vessels in and out of what Japan says are its waters and airspace.The islands are called Senkaku and Japan and Diaoyu in China. Japan controls the islands but China has been strongly pressing its claim in recent months, flying and sailing vessels in and out of what Japan says are its waters and airspace.
Ahead of his visit, Mr Obama told Japan's Yomiuri newspaper that the US opposed "any unilateral attempts to undermine Japan's administration of these islands". Japan depends on the US for its security, under a decades-old alliance that dates back to the end of World War Two. If Japan is attacked, the US is obliged to come to its aid.
"The policy of the United States is clear - the Senkaku Islands are administered by Japan and therefore fall within the scope of Article 5 of the US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Co-operation and Security," he wrote. China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it opposed the US stance.
Japan depends on the US for its security, under a decades-old alliance that dates back to the end of World War Two. "The so-called US-Japan alliance is a bilateral arrangement from the Cold War and ought not to harm China's territorial sovereignty and reasonable rights," spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing.
China's foreign ministry said it opposed this stance. Mr Abe and Mr Obama also discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a giant trade deal involving 12 nations.
"The so-called US-Japan alliance is a bilateral arrangement from the Cold War and ought not to harm China's territorial sovereignty and reasonable rights," spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing during a regular press briefing on Wednesday. It is currently stalled partly due to a row between the US and Japan over agricultural tariffs.
Mr Abe and Mr Obama are also expected to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a giant trade deal involving 12 nations. It is currently stalled partly due to a row between the US and Japan over agricultural tariffs. North Korea was also expected to be on the agenda. Mr Obama wants Tokyo and Seoul to work together on the issue, but ties between the two remain badly strained because of war-related historical issues.
North Korea will also likely be discussed. Mr Obama wants Tokyo and Seoul to work together on the issue, but ties between the two remain badly strained because of war-related historical issues.
The US president flies to Seoul after Tokyo, amid reports of increased activity at Pyongyang's nuclear test site - potentially suggesting a fourth nuclear test could be imminent.The US president flies to Seoul after Tokyo, amid reports of increased activity at Pyongyang's nuclear test site - potentially suggesting a fourth nuclear test could be imminent.
"China's participation in pushing the DPRK [North Korea] in a different direction is critically important," Mr Obama said.
Are you in Japan? What are your hopes for the talks? You can email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'US Japan talks'.Are you in Japan? What are your hopes for the talks? You can email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'US Japan talks'.