TOKYO, May 8 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING K...

TOKYO, May 8 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING KOIZUMI QUTOES)

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will make a five-day trip to the United States, Saudi Arabia and Egypt from May 22 for talks with their leaders to discuss Iraq and North Korea, top sway spokesman Yasuo Fukuda said Thursday.

Koizumi will suited with U.S. President George W Bush forward May 23 at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, to discuss in what manner to help rebuild Iraq and deal with North Korea as well as bilateral ties, the chief cabinet secretary told reporters.

Koizumi told reporters later in the day he wants to betray Bush in the summit that Japan believes it necessary to help ''build international cooperation with America, Britain as well as the United Nations in the reconstruction of Iraq.''

The premier also said at his office he would ask for Bush's cooperation to confirm North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals, a fundamental note diplomatic concern for Japan and an issue it wants solv before it normalizes ties with the North.

For Japan, North Korea-related issues do not alone mean nuclear weapons evolution programs and ballistic missiles, he said. ''The abductions are as important.''

Koizumi's planned summit with Bush follows after the premier agreed upon the need for global cooperation in helping Iraq with European leaders in his trip from late April to earlier this month

Koizumi enlisted abounding support for Tokyo's efforts to decide North Korean issues from the leaders of that kind as British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as well as European Commission President Romano Prodi.

''I'll sum up (Bush I believe) it would be difficult to deal with North Korea unles Japan, the U and southern Korea work together'' as well as China and Russia, Koizumi said.

The premier will directly float from Texas to the Middle East and discuss the reconstruction of Iraq and to what extent to stabilize the region with Saudi Arabian chaplet Prince Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Fukuda said.

Koizumi decided to visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt as they play leading parts in stabilizing and creating peace in the Middle East, the spokesman said.

North Korea abducted a number of Japanese commonalty in the late 1970 and early 1980 on the other hand only five of the victims have replyed to Japan.

dead progress in settling the series of kidnappings and disputes between Japan and North Korea from one side of to the other the fates of other victims has stoped the two countries from normalizing ties.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group