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Japanese FM on three-day visit to US

TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono left on Friday for talks in Washington with top U.S. officials on topics likely to range from China to efforts to launch a new round of global trade talks.

The trip reflects efforts by the two allies to coordinate views ahead of the Group of Eight (G8) summit which Japan will host on its southern island of Okinawa in July and follows strategic security talks earlier this week.

During his three-day visit, Kono is to meet President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.

Japanese officials said Kono's discussions would focus more on international issues such as the summit, China's participation in the G8, relations with the Stalinist state of North Korea, and Indonesia.

Whether Kono and Albright would have a thorough discussion on the touchy issue of relocating a U.S. Marine heliport from Futenma Air Station on Okinawa to Nago city, the venue for the G8 summit, was unclear, one Japanese foreign ministry official said.

The relocation plan is part of a 1996 pact with Washington aimed at defusing local resentment by reducing the heavy concentration of U.S. military on the southern island.

But the deal stipulated that Futenma can only be closed after a new site for the heliport is found on Okinawa.

Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine, Nago's mayor and its city assembly insist that U.S. military use of the new facility be limited to 15 years -- a demand the U.S. side rejects.

Finessing the heliport issue is a must to ensure the summit does not embarrass either Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi or President Bill Clinton.

Kono may also sound out Washington on whether to invite China to the G8 summit of leading rich nations and Russia.-Reuters