Abe to meet Obama and Cameron ahead of G7 summit

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold bilateral meetings on Wednesday evening (May 25) with US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of a summit meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) nations, a Japanese Foreign Ministry source said.

Among topics to be discussed between Mr Abe and Mr Obama will be the prevention of crime by people from US military bases after the arrest last week of a US worker in connection with the murder of a Japanese woman.

Many residents on Okinawa resent playing host to the bulk of the US military in Japan.

Mr Obama is also set to make a historic visit to Hiroshima, site of the world's first atomic bombing, on Friday, after attending the G-7 summit, hosted by Mr Abe.

Both governments are hoping the Hiroshima visit will showcase the strong alliance between the former wartime foes.

Concerns about the health of the global economy will top the agenda at the G-7 summit, although full agreement on macro-economic policy looks hard to come by.

Other topics include terrorism, refugees, trade, cyber security and maritime security, including China's assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, where Beijing has territorial disputes with Japan and several South-east Asian nations.

(RUETERS)