Abe anxious to curry favor with US

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party leader Shinzo Abe is evidently keen to curry favor with the United States ahead of the Dec 16 general election, which may see him become the nation's next prime minister.

A visit to the US and a summit with President Barack Obama in mid-January at the earliest is on Abe's mind should his party win the polls.

Abe's proposal has already been floated to the White House, Kyodo News reported.