However, he confirmed that the islands fell under a security treaty that commits the US to act if Japan is attacked. The two leaders also discussed a major trade deal as well as North Korea. The US president arrived in Japan late on Wednesday ahead of stops in South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. He is not going to Beijing but relations with China are expected to dominate his meetings with regional leaders.
The President's trip - which ends on 29 April - comes nearly seven months after he cancelled a visit to the region because of a US government shutdown. Officials say it is aimed at reassuring America's Asian allies of its commitment to the region amid concern over China's growing power. On Wednesday, President Obama had an informal dinner with Minister Abe. The two leaders then held talks on Thursday morning and gave a joint press conference.
Japan controls the islands but China has been strongly pressing its claim in recent months, flying and sailing vessels in and out of what Japan says are its waters and airspace. The islands are called Senkaku and Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Japan depends on the US for its security, under a decades-old alliance that dates back to the end of World War 2. If Japan is attacked, the US is obliged to come to its aid. China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it opposed the US stance.
North Korea was also on the agenda. Obama wants Tokyo and Seoul to work together on the issue, but ties between the two remain badly strained because of war-related historical issues. The US president flies to Seoul after Tokyo, amid reports of increased activity at Pyongyang's nuclear test site - potentially suggesting a fourth nuclear test could be imminent.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com