Bush, Abe talk baseball, hit it off in first meeting

HANOI, Nov 18 (Reuters) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had some big shoes to fill after the close relationship his predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, had with US President George W Bush.

But he and Bush appeared to hit it off well in their first face-to-face talks today. They talked baseball and Abe gave Bush a personal memento, a photograph of their two grandfathers playing golf with Dwight Eisenhower.

''I admire the prime minister's intellect, I'm very comfortable with his style, and I'm very confident we'll be able to work together for the common good,'' Bush told reporters with Abe at his side after their meeting.

Bush had developed a strong friendship with Koizumi and one of his favorite stories on the just-ended US campaign trail was about the time earlier this year when he took Koizumi to see Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in Memphis.

Abe has worked to maintain the strong relationship since taking power in September.

''The relationship between Japan and the United States is strong and we will keep it that way,'' Bush said.

Both leaders joked about the possible boon to the Japanese economy by the Boston Red Sox' payment of more than 51 million dollars for the rights to negotiate with star Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.

White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said Abe presented Bush a picture of Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush, then a Republican senator from Connecticut, playing golf with Abe's grandfather and Eisenhower in the waning days of his administration.

It was, said Hadley, an ''interesting familial touch for the two leaders.'' REUTERS MS BD1620