Japanese FM to meet with Rice in U.S.

TOKYO, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Japan's foreign minister Taro Aso visits United States Friday for a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Aso plans to discuss problems of U.S. military realignment in Japan, and North Korea's nuclear program and abduction issues during a three-day trip.

"On the whole, U.S. security interests are considerably inclined toward the Middle East, and from the outside, it appears that its interest in areas such as the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Strait is fading, which poses a big problem for the region," Aso said at a news conference, the Kyodo News reported Wednesday.

Aso also is scheduled to hold a meeting with U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley.