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KYOTO, Nov. 15 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO)

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U.S. President George W. Bush arrived Tuesday in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto for talks on Wednesday aimed at reinforcing the bilateral alliance between the two countries and to discuss pending issues such as plans for the U.S. military realignment in Japan.

Koizumi and Bush, making his first visit to Japan in two years, are also expected to talk about the possibility of Japan extending the dispatch of noncombat troops to Iraq beyond mid-December and lifting its ban on U.S. beef imports.

Bush, who is on the first leg of a four-nation Asian tour through next Monday that will also take him to South Korea, China and Mongolia, is expected to press Japan to boost its economic growth, while otherwise highlighting the positive aspects of the bilateral security ties, U.S. officials said.

Among the security issues, the leaders are expected to agree to boost the implementation of the Oct. 29 agreement on the realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan, including a reduction of 7,000 U.S. Marine Corps troops in Okinawa and a new compromise deal for relocating the Marine Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

Bush is likely to urge Tokyo to promptly explain to local host communities about the U.S. military realignment plans agreed to by the two governments so as to gain their acceptance.

Attention is also fixed on how Bush will advise Koizumi to mend ties with China and South Korea that have been strained due mainly to his visits to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

Bush arrived at Osaka airport Tuesday evening with his wife Laura.

Prior to their talks in the ancient Japanese capital Wednesday morning, Koizumi and Bush are to visit Kinkakuji, a Zen Buddhist temple also known as the Golden Pavilion, early in the morning, accompanied by Laura Bush.

Koizumi and Bush are scheduled to hold a joint press conference after their discussions at the Kyoto State Guesthouse.

Koizumi said earlier Tuesday in Tokyo that he wants to highlight the significance of the bilateral alliance in the global context in his meeting with the U.S. leader.

The prime minister told reporters at his office that the United States is ''the most important ally for Japan'' and he wants to ''exchange frank opinions (with Bush) from the viewpoint of the Japan-U.S. alliance in the global context.''

In their talks, Koizumi is expected to offer a positive indication to Bush about Japan extending its troop deployment to Iraq for humanitarian and reconstruction work beyond the Dec. 14 expiration of the mission, according to Japanese officials.

According to senior U.S. officials, Bush will urge Koizumi to use the mandate gained from his landslide general election victory in September to continue his efforts to promote economic reforms so that Japan can be ''an engine of growth for the world economy.''

Bush is also expected to press Koizumi to follow through on the steps being taken by Japan's independent Food Safety Commission toward resuming imports of U.S. beef by the end of this year. Japan banned the imports in December 2003, when the United States discovered its first case of mad cow disease.

White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said the United States expects Japan to resume imports in a ''reasonable time'' after the Bush-Koizumi talks.

Koizumi, meanwhile, told reporters that he may urge the United States to take part in the global effort to curb global warming during their meeting in the city where the Kyoto Protocol on cutting greenhouse gas emissions was adopted in 1997. The pact entered into force in February without U.S. participation.

''As for the environment issue, the United States and China are important,'' Koizumi said, adding that although neither country is participating in the Kyoto Protocol it is imperative that they make efforts to combat global warming.

The two leaders are anticipated to agree to coordinate closely in dealing with the bird flu epidemic to prevent its spread and to exchange views on issues of common concern such as North Korea's nuclear ambitions and their policies toward China.

Bush is expected to stress the importance of cooperation among Japan, China, South Korea, Russia and the United States, which are the members of the six-nation nuclear talks, in order to send a ''consistent message'' on the North's dismantling of its nuclear programs.

The president has said he supports Japan in its efforts to resolve the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the past.

During his talks with Koizumi as well as with the leaders of China and South Korea, Bush intends to promote dialogue between the three Asian neighbors to encourage them to improve their soured relations.

Koizumi is also scheduled to visit South Korea for the Nov. 18-19 summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Busan and meet with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun on its sidelines.

But whether Koizumi can meet his Chinese counterpart in the near future remains uncertain following his Oct. 17 visit to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo despite protests from China and South Korea as the shrine honors Japan's Class-A war criminals.

Kyoto is the only stop on Bush's Japan itinerary, where he is also scheduled to deliver a speech on U.S. engagement in Asia on Wednesday afternoon.

After his Kyoto visit, Bush will also travel to South Korea, hold talks with Roh on Thursday in Gyeongju, and attend the APEC summit.

At the APEC summit, Bush plans to seek cooperation in promoting the upcoming World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in December in Hong Kong, protecting against the risk of bird flu and continuing APEC's work to deal with security threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the U.S. officials said.

Bush is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the leaders of Malaysia, Indonesia and some other nations on the sidelines of the APEC summit.

Traveling on to Beijing, Bush will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday in separate talks in which he is expected to urge China to take further steps to protect intellectual property rights and implement a market-based flexible currency exchange system.

Bush will fly to Ulan Bator on Monday for a one-day stay, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit Mongolia, and will thank Mongolian leaders for deploying troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.