Noda plans to visit UN next week

TOKYO - Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda plans to visit New York next week to attend the United Nations General Assembly, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said Friday.

Noda's visit slated from Monday to Thursday to participate in the high-level meeting "would become a good opportunity (for him) to deepen relations of trust with leaders of other nations," the government's top spokesman said at a regular press conference, adding the premier is also planning to make a speech at the gathering.

Fujimura suggested Noda will use the occasion to appeal to the international community in the speech by calling for territorial matters to be resolved in accordance with the principle of "rule of law" amid souring relations with both South Korea and China.

Noda said at a television program late Thursday he is cautious about talks with Chinese leader on recent territorial row on the sidelines of the UN meeting.

He noted that arrangement of meeting between Tokyo and Beijing should be based on progress made on the territorial issue.