MS. PERINO: Okay, we are on our way to Japan for the G8. I'm going to let Dan Price just say a few words, because you've heard from him a lot this week, but he'll just remind you of the main issues that we have going in. Dennis can talk a little bit about the day we're going to have in Japan when we get there, with the bilateral, and then I'll follow up with other questions on topics outside of that. MR. PRICE: Yes, I'll just give really a brief summary, because earlier this week I gave an on-the-record briefing which, I understand for some of you was numbingly detailed.

The President is looking forward to having very good discussions, not only with the leaders of the G8, but with the various "so-called" outreach leaders, the leaders of the seven African nations will be there, as well as the leaders of Brazil, India, China, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia who will be there as well.

It is a very, very full agenda. As you know, there are issues of development and disease, poverty alleviation, issues related to the global economy, protectionism, the Doha Round, investment liberalization, oil prices. There are issues relating to food security and food prices. There are issues relating to climate change. There's a series of political and security issues relating to counterterrorism and nonproliferation, as well as regional challenges with respect to Zimbabwe, North Korea, Burma, Sudan, Middle East, Iran, and a host of other issues facing these leaders.

As I said, the President is looking forward to the discussion. As he indicated, there are a number of overarching themes that we will seek to underline. The first is accountability and keeping our promises. The second is continuing our efforts to alleviate disease and poverty through the new health initiatives on health care workers and neglected tropical diseases, as well as sending a very strong message on confronting protectionism, especially through the Doha Round. And he will underscore his commitment to push toward a prompt conclusion of a balanced outcome in the Doha Round this year, recognizing that it requires contributions not only from the G8 countries, but also from the major emerging economies.

I will stop there, and turn it over to Dennis, who can give you a briefing on the events when we land and the bilateral with Prime Minister Fukuda. MR. WILDER: Thanks. This is the President's fourth visit to Japan as President of the United States. Of course it's the first time he will go to Hokkaido, the northern -- largest northern island in Japan. Very much looking forward to, on the first day, having a bilateral set of meetings with the Japanese leader, Prime Minister Fukuda. After he lands, he will go into a meeting with Prime Minister Fukuda and his senior staff for about an hour. Following that, they will have a press availability, and then after that will be a dinner, a private dinner. In this case, it will be a very small dinner with the Bushes, Mr. and Mrs. Fukuda, and the Ambassador of the United States to Japan, Tom Schieffer, and the Japanese Ambassador to the United States.

In terms of the agenda of this meeting, as you probably saw, the President talked to Japanese reporters earlier this week and made clear that Japan is the cornerstone of American foreign policy in East Asia. Many ways you can argue that this period of the Bush presidency has been a golden age in U.S.-Japanese relations; it's one in which we have become stronger partners in the region and in the world. We are, of course, working on a very ambitious program of realignment of our military forces in Japan. They'll discuss that. The Japanese are helping to move 8,000 Marines to Guam, and their dependents, and we are realigning our base structure in Japan to move some of our bases out of urban areas and to consolidate bases for a better relationship with the Japanese people.

In addition, later this year, the United States will for the first time deploy a nuclear carrier to Japan. The Kitty Hawk is being retired, and we will be for the first time basing a nuclear carrier there, which we're very grateful to the Japanese people for all the support they give to forward-deployed American forces in this area of the world.

Other issues that the two leaders will discuss -- obviously the six-party talks, and the next steps in the six-party talks, will be an important part of the agenda. We are hoping that we will have the heads of delegation meeting of the six-party talks next week in Beijing. Chris Hill is going out to Beijing to begin those consultations early next week, and then we hope as soon as possible to be able to hold the heads of delegation meeting there.

seen at 09:00, 5 July in Whitehouse Press Briefings. Email this to a friend.
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