Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and new U.S. President George W. Bush may meet in Washington on March 3 or March 4, government sources said Wednesday night.
If it goes ahead, the meeting will be their first since Bush took office on Jan. 20. The Japanese government had originally wanted Mori to visit the U.S. this month.
In their White House talks, Mori and Bush are expected to discuss strengthening security policy coordination. Bush has vowed to give a higher priority than his predecessor, Bill Clinton, to improving ties with allies such as Japan.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss the collision between a Japanese vessel and a U.S. submarine off Hawaii.