Japanese PM turns to Berlin for support against NKorea

LONDON: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will head to Berlin on Wednesday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on his second day of a four-nation trip to Europe seeking support over North Korea.

On Tuesday, Abe earned support from British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his call for a more hard-line stance on North Korea. He also met finance minister Gordon Brown, who is expected to succeed Blair later this year, and met main opposition Conservative leader David Cameron, earning also full-fledged support from the two men on North Korea.

Abe is meeting the German leader for the first time since replacing Junichiro Koizumi in September, is also set to make a courtesy call to German President Horst Koehler. The Germany-Japan summit meeting could cover topics including energy security, in addition to issues discussed between Abe and Blair, such as counter-proliferation efforts in North Korea and Iran.

"They could exchange information on Russia in terms of stable energy supply," the Japanese official said before the meeting. "As Germany is paying attention to Central Asia, the two leaders may exchange opinions on how to commit themselves more to the region," he said.

Among other issues, Abe is likely to raise the issue of his cherished goal of gaining a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, as Germany has been Japan's one of four partners in working together on the matter.

Other items on the agenda could be cooperation in Afghanistan, development aid, climate change and East Asian regional situation in general, officials said.

"As Germany is the largest trading partner for Japan among the European Union countries, the two sides may talk about promoting mutual investment," an official said.

In the talks with Blair Tuesday, Abe also received the British premier's praise for Japan's growing role on the global political stage -- and explicitly backed Tokyo's ambitions for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

"The membership of the UN Security Council of Japan is an important change and reform. I believe the moment is right for this to happen... it is now much overdue," said Blair at a joint press conference at his Downing Street office.

Together with Brazil, Germany and India, Japan has sought but failed to gain a privileged permanent seat in the Security Council.

Tokyo is taking the toughest line against Pyongyang with its own economic sanctions. Pyongyang announced in October 2006 that it had carried out its first atom bomb test, to worldwide condemnation, following its seven missile launches in July.