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Obama in Asia but will miss APEC costume

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-14 15:25

TOKYO: US President Barack Obama began talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Friday in which he will likely try to smooth strained ties.

Visiting US President Barack Obama delivers a speech on US policy toward Asia at Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Nov. 14, 2009. [Agencies]

The two leaders greeted each other warmly in the lobby of Hatoyama's official residence ahead of their summit.

Tokyo is the first stop in a nine-day Asian tour that takes Obama to Singapore for an Asia-Pacific summit, to China for talks on climate change and trade imbalances, and to the Republic of Korea, where Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions will be the focus.

Obama will skip the traditional costume group photo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit where 21 leaders were due to appear in "Asian fusion" outfits, organizers said Friday. The picture, a regular highlight of APEC, has been disrupted this year by changes to Obama's schedule, as he will now in Singapore for just one day.

Obama's week-long tour of Asia had to be compressed after the president travelled to Texas to attend Tuesday's memorial service for the 13 victims of a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood military base.

He had been scheduled to pose for the group shot Saturday with other leaders, including China's President Hu Jintao, in a long-sleeved linen shirt inspired by the blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian culture found in Singapore.

With Obama now arriving a day later than planned, the picture would be taken on Sunday with leaders in business suits.

Special coverage:  17th APEC Leaders' Week Related readings:  Asia-Pacific leaders not to wear APEC attire to take group photo  APEC menu: hold the onion  Hu delivers speech at APEC CEO Summit  China's quest of larger regional role on display at APEC  China's quest of larger regional role on display at APEC

Meanwhile, the theme shirts - featuring mandarin collars and in a choice of blue, red or green - will be worn at a leaders' dinner on Saturday that Obama will not attend.

Washington's relations with Hatoyama's government, which has promised to oversee a diplomatic course less dependent on its long-time ally and forge closer ties with Asia, are frayed by a dispute over a US military base.

Obama said that he hopes to quickly resolve talks on where to relocate a base on southern Okinawa island. Hatoyama has said that the Marine Corps Futenma Air Base - now located in a crowded urban area - may not be relocated to a coastal area as previously agreed, but moved off Okinawa or even out of Japan. Both men pledged to resolve the issue "soon".