President Bush is trying to forestall the new Japanese prime minister from withdrawing his country's support operations for U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
The White House told reporters in an e-mail that Mr. Bush spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda yesterday morning -- the first conversation between the two since Mr. Fukuda's selection by the Japanese legislature, called the Diet, on Tuesday.
"President Bush called Yasuo Fukuda to congratulate him on his election as prime minister. President Bush told the prime minister that he values the friendship and relationship the United States and Japan have," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
Mr. Bush also urged the new Japanese leader to continue his country's refueling of U.S. ships in the Indian Ocean, in support of the war against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"The president thanked the prime minister for Japan's significant contribution to the global war on terror and noted that he hoped the refueling operations for Afghanistan will be renewed by the Diet," Mr. Johndroe said.
Japan's current commitment ends Nov. 1, and Mr. Fukuda is under political pressure to cease the operations.
Mr. Bush also mentioned Japan in his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, in what may have been an attempt to curry some favor with Mr. Fukuda.
In his U.N. speech, Mr. Bush advocated for adding Japan to the Security Council, one of the U.N.'s most powerful committees, which currently has five permanent members -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- and 10 temporary members.
"We believe that Japan is well-qualified for permanent membership on the Security Council, and that other nations should be considered, as well," Mr. Bush said.
Michael Green, a former top adviser to Mr. Bush on Asian affairs who now teaches at Georgetown University, said that while the U.S. has supported Japan's addition to the Security Council, the timing of Mr. Bush's comment was probably strategic.
"There may have been some calculation that it would help those trying to win passage of legislation in Tokyo to extend Japan's counterterror efforts," Mr. Green said.
-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times
