Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama kicked off long-awaited summit talks in Tokyo on Thursday morning, aiming to bolster security and economic ties.

The two leaders are expected to issue a joint statement Thursday confirming the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance as a major stabilizer of the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama, who arrived in Japan on Wednesday night on the first leg of a weeklong diplomatic tour, is expected to reassure Abe of Washington's commitment in the face of an increasingly assertive China.