Japanese prime minister visits Turkey

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was expected to meet with Turkish leaders on Tuesday to discuss the peace process in the Middle East. Kouizimu was scheduled to visit President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss regional issues, including Iraq and the Palestinian territories, followed by a news conference.

Koizumi, who arrived in Turkey on Monday evening, was originally scheduled to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories, but that part of the trip was postponed due to the grave illness of his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon.

Koizumi also planned to meet with Japanese company representatives and visit the Japan-funded construction site of the Bosporus Rail Tube Crossing Project in Istanbul before returning to Tokyo on Friday, reports the AP. I.L.