Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori plans to visit the United States for three days starting Feb. 10 to meet U.S. President George W. Bush, Japanese government officials said Thursday.

Japan has proposed to the U.S. that the visit take place between Feb. 10 and Feb. 12 to take advantage of a three-day holiday in Japan.

Mori and Bush held a five-minute telephone conversation Wednesday and agreed to arrange a bilateral summit as soon as possible.

Foreign Minister Yohei Kono will be meeting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington on Friday and is expected to discuss with him the timing of Mori's visit, they said.

Roth refuses Japan ambassador post

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) Former Sen. William Roth on Wednesday said he has no intention of becoming ambassador to Japan, despite earlier predictions that President George W. Bush would appoint him to replace Thomas Foley.

Roth, 79, said he hopes to be involved in maintaining U.S.-Japan relations within the United States due to family considerations. His wife is a federal court judge.

Roth was considered the most likely candidate to become the new U.S. envoy to Tokyo. He served as a Republican senator for Delaware for 30 years until he lost his seat in the November 2000 election.

As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, he fought against protectionist measures mounted against steel imports from Japan when the steel crisis hit U.S. makers in 1998.

"I hope to remain engaged in the U.S.-Japan relationship in other capacities and look forward to a revitalization of (the bilateral ties) under the new President," Roth said.