Japan PM security adviser to visit United States

Tokyo, Oct 2: Yuriko Koike, special adviser on national security to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, will visit the United States later this week for talks with U S officials, Japan's top government spokesman said today.

Mr Koike is one of a core group of advisers appointed by Abe to centralise policy-making in an effort to give the prime minister's office greater control over policy. Her brief makes her a potential counterpart for White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley.

Mr Koike, a former environment minister, will head to Washington on October 3 for meetings with Hadley, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a news conference.

''In addition to explaining Japanese policy, this meeting aims at building a stronger link between the White House and the prime minister's office to increase trust between the two nations,'' Shiozaki said.

Mr Koike told the Nihon Keizai Shimbun that she hoped to build a network of connections with international officials on behalf of the prime minister but that it would take time to decide what sort of national security organisation would best suit Japan.

REUTERS