Bush backs 'great reformer'

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Opening an official visit to Japan, President Bush has expressed his confidence in Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reforms designed to bring his nation out of the economic doldrums.

Bush was also quick to water down concerns of fall-out in East Asia over his "axis of evil" comments about North Korea.

"They understand our position," Bush said, referring to his allies Japan and South Korea, before stepping into meetings with Koizumi.

But economics will be at the forefront of discussions with the Japanese leader.

The U.S. is keen for Japan to push through with extensive economic reforms, reduce a spiraling unemployment rate and liquidate over $1 trillion in bad bank loans.

"I plan on talking about what a great reformer he is," Bush told reporters prior to the meeting. "We've got confidence in his ability to lead the nation."

VIDEO President Bush talks about his "axis of evil" comment, North and South Korea and more Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   IN-DEPTH President Bush: East Asia Tour    AIR FORCE ONE Bush's 'Flying White House'    EXTRA INFORMATION Interactive: A look at Bush's itinerary    MORE STORIES • Bush seeks talks with North Korea  • Wide range of issues face Bush in Asia

Symbolic of Bush's desire for Koizumi to implement the reforms, the U.S. leader began his visit with an excursion to the famous Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.

The shinto shrine is dedicated to the memory of Emperor Meiji, who reigned from 1868 to 1912. Under his rule and a progressive government, Japan was transformed from relative isolation into a world power.

Protests

While Koizumi is likely to receive support for his economic plans, the two leaders are expected to differ over the Kyoto treaty.

Already, some anti-American protesters have let their feelings be known after the U.S. last year rejected the Kyoto protocol governing greenhouse gas emissions.

"Bush, Don't Ruin My World!" read banners displayed by one group during a rally on the streets of Tokyo.

The Kyoto agreement set a target for the United States to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, thought to cause global warming, by about 7 percent below 1990 levels within a decade.

Bush last week proposed a less stringent alternative that would include tax credits and other incentives to encourage business and farmers to reduce harmful emissions.

Another 300 demonstrators pushed to have the U.S. withdraw its nearly 50,000 troops from Japan, and a third group said they opposed Bush's description in his State of the Union address of North Korea, Iran and Iraq as an "axis of evil."

'Evil' North Korea

Security issues are expected to be more paramount in South Korea, Bush's next stop on his three-nation six-day tour.

A senior U.S. official has downplayed initial public concerns from South Korean diplomats about Bush referring to North Korea as part of an "axis of evil", saying the South Koreans are "much more reassured now."

But Yang Sung-Chul, South Korean ambassador to the United States, said Bush's words touched "sensitivities as well as sensibilities" in the two Koreas.

The ambassador said his nation's diplomatic efforts with North Korea, part of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's reconciliatory "sunshine policy" toward the North, is slowly bearing fruit.

Bush's meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in Beijing, the last stop on his trip, will come 30 years after President Nixon's groundbreaking visit to the communist country.

Bush and Chinese leaders are expected to discuss human rights and religious freedom, China's production and sale of weaponry, and the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing has long claimed as a breakaway province.

A senior U.S. official said there was a strong possibility Bush will meet with Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao, who is expected to succeed Jiang at the 16th Communist Party Conference this year.