Japanese Consulate San Francisco Vice Consul Charged with Assualt and 14 Counts of Domestic Violence

The agenda for the summit will include discussion on:

1. Japan-U.S. relations.
2. Japan-U.S. cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
3. Japan-U.S. cooperation on global issues.

The article excerpt below is via Aya Igarashi and Hideki Kawasaki for the Yomiuri Shimbun. I wonder how the summit meeting will turn out?

“U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first visit to Japan on Nov. 13 and hold a summit meeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. The Japanese government is making vigorous efforts to stage the “success” of this visit amid strains in the Japan-U.S. relationship on such issues as the relocation of the U.S. forces’ Futenma Air Station. However, it is uncertain whether the Prime Minister will behave according to prior arrangements due to his own attitude toward the United States and his political style.

With the President’s trip to Japan being delayed by one day, he will be in Japan until Nov. 14. This has given rise to unexpected complications.

Hatoyama will fly to Singapore for the APEC Summit after the bilateral summit and the reception for the President on the evening of Nov. 13. Therefore, he will be leaving Japan ahead of the President, who has activities scheduled for Nov. 14.

The concerned officials are particularly nervous about the President’s luncheon with the Emperor at noon on Nov. 14. The Prime Minister will not be in Japan at that time.

It is feared that the absence of the Prime Minister at the U.S. President’s audience with the Emperor “may be a breach of protocol and may be unprecedented” (according to MOFA). This is another example of Hatoyama’s unprecedented diplomacy.”

For those wondering if the POTUS will visit Hiroshima