Japan's leader comes calling

Japan Prime Minister Taro Aso looked over at President Obama during today's meeting. (AP)

In another sign of the primacy of Asia for the Obama administration, the first foreign leader with an official Oval Office visit is Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso today.

Hillary Clinton, President Obama's secretary of state, chose Asia for her first foreign tour last week, making stops in Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and China, and causing quite a stir along the way.

Aso, unlike Obama, is deeply unpopular with his people and is struggling to stay in power. Still, Japan is the world's second largest economy, behind the United States, and can offer some lessons on what to do -- and what not to do -- to deal with a financial crisis.

During the traditional pre-meeting photo opportunity, Obama said that the two nations have key shared concerns and said that Japan "has been a great partner" on issues such as climate change and Afghanistan.

"I'm looking forward to a very constructive dialogue," the president said.

Aso said he and his nation were "very honored" to be the first foreign guest and agreed that there are many issues the two countries must cooperate on as the world's two largest economies.

"We have to work together, hand in hand," Aso said.

(Their full remarks, as provided by the White House, are below.)

After the meeting, the White House issued this summary:

President Obama today held in-depth consultations with the Prime Minister of Japan on the global economic crisis and other areas for bilateral cooperation. The President underscored his firm commitment to the U.S.-Japan Alliance and called for continued progress in modernizing the Alliance by implementing the joint realignment initiative.

The two leaders agreed to work closely and urgently, as the world’s leading economies, to stimulate demand at home and abroad, to help other countries respond to the global crisis, to unfreeze credit markets, and to seek concrete results from the April London Economic Summit and through the G-8. They agreed fully on the need to resist protectionism.

With respect to regional issues, they pledged to work closely through the Six-Party process to verifiably eliminate North Korea’s nuclear program and to deal with the problem of North Korea’s missiles, as well as other matters including Japan’s abducted citizens.

Noting the importance of stabilizing Afghanistan, President Obama expressed appreciation for Japan’s extensive contributions to date and strongly welcomed Japan’s intention to play a greater role in assisting Afghanistan as well as Pakistan to improve security and economic development.

The two leaders both saw climate change as a priority for both nations and discussed ways of working together, including in an effort to assist developing nations. They pledged to build on the strong record of joint research and development on clean energy technology.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I would just like to say welcome to the Prime Minister. Obviously the friendship between the United States and Japan is extraordinarily important to our country. It is for that reason that the Prime Minister is the first foreign dignitary to visit me here in the Oval Office. I think it's a testimony to the strong partnership between the United States and Japan.

The alliance that we have is the cornerstone of security in East Asia. It's one that my administration wants to strengthen. We think that we have an opportunity to work together not only on issues related to the Pacific Rim but throughout the world, and Japan has been a great partner on issues ranging from climate change to Afghanistan. We're going to have a very busy session, and I'm very grateful that the Prime Minister agreed to come and I'm looking forward to a very constructive dialogue.

PRIME MINISTER ASO: Do I have to say something? Well, first of all, thank you very much for inviting me as a foreign official, a foreign guest, to the White House. On behalf of not only Japan but as a nation, we are very honored to be here as the first of foreign guests.

Nowadays there are so many issues we will have to (inaudible), and we as a number one and second biggest economies of the world, we will have to work together, hand in hand. And I think we are the only two nations which can offer enough to solve those very critical, vital issue of the world. I do hope our cooperation will help for the future generation of the world.

THE PRESIDENT: All right. Thank you, guys.

Q Why Japan --

THE PRESIDENT: It's a great partner, and as I said, a cornerstone of security as well as one of our strongest economic partners. Thank you very much, guys.