Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama kicked off long-awaited summit talks in Tokyo on Thursday morning, aiming to bolster security and economic ties.
The two leaders are expected to issue a joint statement Thursday confirming the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance as a major stabilizer of the Asia-Pacific region.
Obama, who arrived in Japan on Wednesday night on the first leg of a weeklong diplomatic tour, is expected to reassure Abe of Washington's commitment in the face of an increasingly assertive China.
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