Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Friday he will discuss the U.S. missile shield plan in depth when he meets with President George W. Bush this weekend.
Koizumi noted that he would focus on differences in the defense policies of Japan and the United States. However, he did not reverse Tokyo's stance that it understands the U.S. intention to develop a missile defense system.
"There are differences in national security policies between Japan and the U.S. And we hope to frankly exchange opinions in that respect as well," Koizumi told a news conference a few hours before leaving for Washington.