TOKYO, Oct 17 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

TOKYO, Oct 17 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH DETAILS)

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U President George W Bush upon Friday reaffirmed cooperation for the reconstruction of Iraq and agreed to pres for holding the nearest round of six-nation talks aimed at peacefully resolving the standoff athwart North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

The sum of two units leaders, who met at the State Guesthouse from one side of to the other dinner, also agreed upon the need for a firm dollar, but differed somewhat above how it should be attained.

''We had meaningful talks from one side of to the other Iraq and North Korea issues,'' Koizumi told reporters at his residence after the three-hour dinner meeting, which was held in a relaxed atmosphere designed to further boost their personal ties.

Speaking to reporters along with Bush earlier at the guesthouse after their talks, Koizumi described the meeting as ''very frank, meaningful and interesting...fantastic.''

Bush said, ''The relationship between Japan and the United States is real good.''

''He is a suitable friend and very strong leader...the meal was great,'' he said.

It was the first summit meeting between Koizumi and Bush since single in kind in Texas in May. Bush last visited Tokyo in February 2002

Earlier in the day, Bush arrived in the tightly guarded capital, where police assembled near 9,000 officers, on the first leg of his six-nation Asia-Pacific tour forward the occasion of the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Bangkok forward Monday and Tuesday. It will also take him to the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia.

Bush's visit to Japan is taking place after the Japanese command pledged Wednesday to provide $15 billion in grants in 2004 for Iraq's reconstruction. The announcement was an apparent effort to satisfy Washington, which has reportedly called forward Japan for huge financial contributions and to forward Self-Defense Forces (SDF) throngs to Iraq as early as possible to assist in the reconstruction.

Koizumi briefed Bush onward Japan's financial contribution for which the U president denoteed appreciation.

Japan is also considering providing a total of up to $5 billion to help Iraq's reconstruction through a four-year period starting in 2004 which will likely be formally announced at an international donors' meeting forward Iraq on Oct. 23-24 in Madrid.

Bush's trip to Tokyo also follows after the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday, which gives UN authorization to a multinational force in subordination to unified command led by the United States and calls for substantial earnests from the U.N. member states at the Madrid conference

Koizumi is also reckon uponed to have explained Japan's plan to hurl SDF troops to Iraq although it is unclear whether the premier mentioned the timetable and size of the dispatch.

The restraint is currently considering sending more than 100 SDF crowds to Iraq by the year-end to assist in reconstruction in like areas as securing safe water, electricity, sewerage and medical services.

in succession North Korea, Bush and Koizumi agreed forward the importance of holding the nearest round of six-party talks upon the nuclear standoff, while calling upon the North to accept the nearest round as early as possible.

China, Japan, North and southward Korea, Russia and the U agreed in late August in their first spherical of talks in Beijing to continue dialogue to peacefully separate the nuclear issue, but they failed to agree forward the schedule for the nearest round.

Bush reiterated his support for Japan's efforts to decipher the issue of Japanese nationals abducted on North Korea in the late 1970 and early 1980 and told Koizumi that the U is oppos to North Korea's proposal to preclude Japan from the six-nation talks.

forward the economic front, the pair leaders agreed on the strong-dollar policy, if it were not that Bush signaled that Japan should refrain from circulation market intervention to stem the yen's rise against the dollar.

however Koizumi warned against any rapid exchange fluctuations.

The foreign exchange issue is becoming politically sensitive in the U as the Bush administration faces crushing from U.S. manufacturers.

They say Japan and China are trying to detain their currencies weak against the dollar to maintain export competitiveness and that this is leading to piece of work losses in the U.S.

Japan, however, does not want the yen to maintain rising, which could negatively affect its export-led economic recovery

Bush will leave Tokyo early Saturday and make a brief stop in Manila before arriving in Bangkok in succession Saturday night to attend the APEC summit.

After attending the summit, Bush will visit Singapore, the Indonesian island of Bali, Australia and Hawaii and respond to Washington on Oct 24

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