Japan PM seeks tigher ties, good buddy in US

TOKYO, Apr 26 (Reuters) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe headed for Washington today for a summit at which simmering tensions will take a back seat to reinforcing the alliance and building friendship with George W Bush.

The two-day visit will Abe's first to Washington as premier.

''The Japan-US security alliance is the backbone of our bilateral relations,'' Abe told reporters before leaving. ''I would like to create a relationship with President Bush in which we can talk about anything frankly.'' Both leaders have met before, but have not had time to build the close bonds that developed between Bush and Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi.

The trip could be shadowed by Abe's remarks last month denying there was proof Japan's government or military had forced women to work in military brothels during World War Two.

Bush is unlikely to raise the topic during Abe's stay, which includes a visit to his Camp David retreat.

But Abe's critics plan a rally in Washington today to demand Japan fully apologise for forcing mostly Asian women to serve as sex slaves.

On the agenda will be North Korea's missile and nuclear tests last year, as well as Pyongyang's failure to implement a February deal to shut down its nuclear reactor by April 14.

China's rapidly rising defence spending will also be a likely topic.

Some Japanese are worried about an apparent softening of Washington's stance towards North Korea that led to the February deal with Pyongyang.

Under the agreement, North Korea pledged to start shutting its Yongbyon nuclear reactor by April 14 in return for energy aid and security assurances.

The deadline passed without implementation of the deal.

Abe -- who owes much of his popularity to a tough stance toward North Korea -- has made clear Tokyo will not give aid until it sees progress in a feud over its citizens abducted decades ago.

CLOSE CONTACT He has also made rewriting Japan's pacifist constitution a top goal and will likely showcase his vision of a more assertive Japanese role in global security.

Yesterday, the government said advisers to Abe would review a ban on collective self-defence, or aiding an ally when attacked, which prevents Japan from shooting down a ballistic missile headed for the United States.

Climate change and nuclear energy will also be on the agenda.

Today, Abe is also scheduled to meet US lawmakers from the Republican and Democratic parties, useful contact ahead of 2008 US presidential elections.

Abe has apologised repeatedly for the suffering of the ''comfort women,'' as they are known in Japan, and reiterated that he stands by a 1993 apology that acknowledged official involvement.

US lawmakers have introduced a resolution demanding an unambiguous apology, and the perception that Abe is trying to whitewash the wartime past could linger.

After Washington, Abe visits the Middle East to deepen ties with the region, the source of nearly all Japan's oil.

A delegation of 175 businessmen led by Fujio Mitarai, head of the Keidanren business lobby, will accompany him to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt.

REUTERS AM RAI0937