Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Photo: npr.org

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday began a 4-day official visit to the US. Abe will meet with US President Barack Obama today, the first meeting of the two leaders since they assumed office last year. Since taking office last year, Prime Minister Abe has made it a foreign affairs priority to strengthen Japan’s relationship with the US in security and on the economic front to cope with East Asia’s worsening security environment. At the moment, the US wants Japan to open its beef, insurance and car markets to the US, and considers the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as a chance to implement these targets. The two leaders will also discuss North Korea, and disputes between Tokyo and Beijing in the East China Sea.