U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to increase pressure on North Korea over the Pyongyang nuclear threat in his second term -- something Japan does not want, experts say.
While wanting to remain united with the U.S. to halt North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Japan and South Korea do not want tensions heightened in the Korean Peninsula.
Tokyo is also concerned that if international attention focuses on the nuclear issue, unresolved questions over the abductions of Japanese to the reclusive state might be pushed to the sidelines.