Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda arrived in Washington Thursday for his first visit to the United States as Japan's prime minister and US President George W. Bush will host him in the White House on Friday.

 

During Friday's talks, the two leaders are expected to discuss the issue of more than a dozen Japanese whom Japan claimed were kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.

 

Moreover, the two are also expected to discuss the possible US move to remove North Korea from the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism. Media reports said Japan has opposed to the possible US move.

 

Japan has been a key ally of the US in East Asia.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2007)