Mori was harshly criticized for his initial handling of the collision, choosing to finish a weekend round of golf after first hearing about it. The U.S. Navy court of inquiry investigating the collision begins its third week Monday. Another sore spot in U.S.-Japan relations, the presence of U.S. troops and bases on Okinawa, is also expected to figure on the agenda. A number of incidents in which U.S. military officers were accused of molesting local teenage girls has caused alarm among the Japanese public, and Okinawa's governor has called for a reduction in the number of troops stationed in Japan, currently about 47,000. Bush also was expected to discuss relations with Japan's neighbors, particularly China and North Korea.
Japan remains concerned about the missile threat from North Korea.
Reuters contributed to this report. Pages will open in a new browser window External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.