Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and U.S. President Bill Clinton on Thursday said they will continue cooperating with South Korea in attempting to establish closer ties between the three nations and North Korea, Japanese officials said.
Meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, Mori and Clinton unsurprisingly reconfirmed that the three countries should share information and take a common approach toward handling Pyongyang, the official said.
Clinton also told Mori he has not yet decided whether to visit North Korea. Mori said Japan will respect Clinton's decision, whatever it may be, according to the official.
In the 30-minute meeting, Clinton urged Japan to reduce its whaling program but indicated he would not sanction Japan over the issue, saying bilateral ties should not be damaged over the matter.
Mori told Clinton the whaling problem should be dealt with based on scientific data.
Japan drew protests from U.S. and European environmental groups this year after starting to hunt sperm and Bryde's whales in the northwest Pacific. The species are protected under U.S. law.
In September, Clinton said Washington will deny Japanese vessels the right to fish in U.S. waters following Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta's allegation that Tokyo is undermining global efforts to preserve whale populations.
Japan subsequently said they might lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization if Washington imposes trade sanctions over whaling. Clinton was to give his final decision by Sunday.