Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� April, 2004

Prime Minister Meets with Vice President of the United States of America Monday, April 12, 2004 Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held talks with Mr. Richard B. Cheney, the Vice President of the United States of America, at the Iikura House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Minato Ward, Tokyo. At the meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi asked for further cooperation of the United States (US) on the case of Japanese hostages in Iraq. In response, Vice President Cheney said, "We promise all and every effort by the US in resolving the case." Vice President Cheney also stated that he values the reconstruction assistance Japan is providing to Iraq and the activities of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), and Prime Minister Koizumi said "Japan intends to continue its assistance to Iraq." On the issue of North Korea, the two leaders confirmed their policy to endeavor for a complete dismantlement of nuclear weapons development programs in an "irreversible and verifiable manner" through the Six-Party Talks.