Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. President George W. Bush in Shanghai later this month, ahead of the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the top government spokesman said Wednesday.
The talks are expected to be held before the opening of the Oct. 20-21 APEC meeting, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said.
A major topic in the talks is expected to be the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and the countries' responses.
Koizumi visited Washington last month for talks with Bush at the White House. In the meeting, the prime minister expressed Japan's full support for U.S.-led antiterrorism efforts and told Bush of Japan's plans for legislation to enable the Self-Defense Forces to back U.S. troops.