Aso seeks close cooperation with Obama on N. Korea issue

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 Kyodo -
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso intends to promote close cooperation with U.S.
President-elect Barack Obama on key issues including North Korea's abduction of
Japanese nationals and ways to tackle the global financial crisis, a Japanese
lawmaker told Obama's special envoys on Saturday.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Congressman Jim Leach,
who visited Washington on Obama's behalf to meet with leaders of the Group of
20 economies, told Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Jun Matsumoto that
they will convey the message to Obama, Japanese officials said.
The two sides, meanwhile, agreed to promote preparation to realize a meeting
between Aso and Obama at an early date, the officials said.
Matsumoto, who accompanied Aso on his visit to Washington for a two-day global
financial summit through Saturday, told reporters it was ''very meaningful''
that he could meet with Obama's transition team members.
Japan has been seeking to arrange a meeting between Aso and Obama in the United
States later this month on the occasion of the summit of the Asia-Pacific
Cooperation forum in Peru on next Saturday and Sunday.
But the meeting is expected to be postponed because it clashes with Obama's
schedule, sources said.
==Kyodo