AP

US ties, climate change focus of Hatoyama's debut

By SHINO YUASA (AP) - 6 hours ago

TOKYO - Just five days in office, Japan's prime minister left Monday for his debut on the world stage, where he is to meet with the leaders of the U.S., China and Russia and promote his ambitious plan to cut greenhouse gases in a speech at the U.N.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama was scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao after arriving in New York late Monday, then attend a climate summit at the U.N. starting Tuesday.

Hatoyama, whose party defeated the long-ruling conservatives in last month's elections, faces his biggest diplomatic test Wednesday, when he meets with President Barack Obama.