Economy, diplomacy on Obama's Asian agenda

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama makes his first trip as president to Asia Thursday, beginning an eight-day mission to four countries, beginning in Japan.

Before reaching Tokyo, Obama was to stop at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, where he will meet with military personnel, the White House said.

In Tokyo, Obama will have several bilateral meetings with Yukio Hatoyama, Japan's new prime minister and leader of the Democratic Party of Japan.

"I believe the meeting will be a good one in the sense that he seems to have felt strongly that he must pick Japan as the first country of his visit to Asia," Hatoyama said in advance of the president's arrival. "I'm looking forward to it."

While economic issues likely will dominate discussions throughout Obama's trip to Asia, the White House also is looking to develop a relationship with the new Japanese government, meet with economic dynamo China and discuss resumption of talks on the denuclearization of North Korea, CNN reported.

After Japan, Obama will fly to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore before traveling to China for stops in Shanghai and Beijing, the White House said.

Obama's final stop is Seoul, where he will meet with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and address U.S. troops at Osan Air Base.