HAKONE, Japan, July 20 Kyodo Brit...

HAKONE, Japan, July 20 Kyodo

British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrapped up his three-day visit to Japan in succession Sunday at the hot-spring resort town of Hakone near Mt Fuji, before he departed for southward Korea.

Blair and his wife Cherie met briefly with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi through Japanese tea at a public-house before leaving to catch a plane at Tokyo's Haneda airport for the nearest leg of his trip.

The three were warmly welcomed by the agency of a crowd of citizens as they left the hotel

During their summit in succession Saturday, the two leaders agreed upon the importance of launching five-way talks involving Japan and southern Korea to peacefully analyze the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program.

Blair's visit to Japan came amid a firestorm of criticism at abiding-place that was sparked when a British defense adviser -- at the center of a latter controversy over government intelligence -- was set up dead Friday in a forested area in Britain after he was reported missing on his family.

Koizumi threw his replete support behind Blair, saying his decision to take part with U President George W Bush in the war against Iraq was correct and courageous.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo moderns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group