Abe visits Europe seeking tighter ties

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left yesterday for a whirlwind tour of Europe his first since taking office in September in search of tighter ties with NATO and closer cooperation on Pyongyang nuclear issue.

Abe, who has pledged to revise Japan's pacifist constitution and adopt a more aggressive diplomacy, is set to meet British, German, French, European Union and NATO leaders before heading for an East Asia leaders summit in the Philippines.

"I would like to show them Japan's will to actively contribute to the world," Abe told reporters before departing.