Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama plan to hold talks on the sidelines of the two-day Group of Seven summit in Mie Prefecture later this month, a government source said Friday.
The talks, likely to take place May 26, are expected to center on how to respond to North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons development, as well as China's island construction and militarization of outposts in the disputed South China Sea, the source said.
The two leaders are also expected to affirm coordination in establishing a firmer, future-oriented Japan-U.S. alliance, the source said.
Abe plans to arrive at the venue in Shima on May 25, leaving open the possibility that the leaders may meet the same day, depending on Obama's schedule.
Since Abe will travel to Hiroshima with Obama on May 27, the prime minister is considering holding separate talks May 28 in Nagoya with his counterparts from Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam and four other countries, according to the source.
Seven countries, which also include Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka, as well as the Sub-Saharan African nation of Chad, will join an outreach session of the G-7 summit.
The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States, as well as the European Union.
Along with regional issues, Abe has said that policy coordination in promoting world economic growth and fighting terrorism will top the agenda at what will be the first G-7 summit hosted by Japan in eight years.
Separately, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will pay an official visit to Japan from May 23 to 25 before attending the G-7 summit, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Friday.
In his first trip to Japan since taking office last November, Trudeau will hold talks with Abe and have an audience with Emperor Akihito, the ministry said.