HONOLULU – The following is the gist of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s separate talks with U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Honolulu.
— Obama told Noda that the United States welcomes Japan’s decision to participate in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
— Noda told Obama that Japan has begun the process to ease import restrictions on U.S. beef, imposed over fears of mad cow disease.
— Noda told Obama that Japan is preparing to present to Okinawa Prefecture by the year-end an environmental assessment report on the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station within the prefecture.
— Obama pointed out the need to further deepen Japan-U.S. alliance.
— Noda and Obama confirmed that close collaboration between Japan, the United States and South Korea is important in dealing with North Korean nuclear issues.
— Noda told Obama that Tokyo plans to submit to parliament next year the relevant bills necessary to join the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
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