Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso arrived in Washington on Monday night, set to become the first foreign leader to meet US President Barack Obama at the White House.

At their meeting on Tuesday, the two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation on the financial crisis, climate change, operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Aso's visit comes a week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Japan, where she said the alliance between the United States and Japan is "a cornerstone" of US foreign policy.

"Working together to deal with the multitude of issues that affect not only Asia, but the entire world, is a high priority of the Obama administration," said Clinton.

The so-called cornerstone alliance, however, has to face a political instability in Japan, where Aso has become one of the most unpopular post-war leaders.

According to the latest nationwide poll conducted by the Asahi Shimbun, 71 percent of respondents want Aso to resign as soon as possible.

Another survey conducted on Saturday and Sunday by the Mainichi Shimbun showed Aso's support rate dropped 8 percentage points from the January poll to 11 percent. The survey also found 39 percent think Aso should step down immediately. The disapproval rate for the Aso Cabinet stood at 73 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2009)