Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and U.S. President Bill Clinton agreed Friday that Japan should take aggressive steps to spur a genuine rebound in the Japanese economy and that both countries should resolve a long-festering dispute over telephone interconnection fees in Japan through discussions. The two leaders, meeting for the first time since Mori took office a month ago, also agreed to work together and make July's Group of Eight summit in Okinawa a success, Japanese and U.S. officials said.
The White House meeting capped Mori's nine-day tour of G8 nations aimed at giving him a chance to meet his counterparts before he hosts the G8 summit in Okinawa on July 21-23.
Mori headed back to Japan on Friday afternoon.
Japanese officials said Mori and Clinton also addressed bilateral security issues during their 80-minute meeting, including the relocation of a U.S. Marine heliport facility in Okinawa.