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Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori held his first summit meeting with President George W. Bush of the United States at the White House, in Washington, D.C., followed by a working lunch. Also present at the summit were Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice from the United States and Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy Taro Aso from Japan. At the working lunch they were joined by Vice President Richard Cheney, Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. During the summit meeting and at the working lunch the two leaders had a highly meaningful exchange of views on a wide range of topics, including the Ehime Maru accident, the further strengthening of the Japan-U.S. alliance, the need to address the challenges facing the two economies and pursue appropriate economic policies, enhancement of Japan-U.S. dialogue to address global, regional, and bilateral economic and trade issues, the issue of missile defense, such regional problems as North Korea, and reform of the United Nations Security Council. The two leaders agreed on many points. A joint statement was issued after the working lunch. |