TOKYO, April 10 (Xinhuanet) -- US Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Tokyo late Saturday, kicking off a four-day tour.

    Cheney is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday, Japanese Foreign Ministry said. Topics would include the reconstruction efforts in Iraq and other bilateral andregional issues. Japan's ban on US beef is also expected to be discussed, Japanese media reported.

    The recent abduction of three Japanese in Iraq is likely to be touched in the talks. A Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated at aFriday's press conference that there is no reason for the Japanesegovernment to withdraw the troops now.

    Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite TV broadcast a video footage Thursday taken by an Iraqi armed group that demanded Japan pull the troops out of Iraq within three days, otherwise, the three Japanese hostages would be killed.

    On Tuesday, Cheney will meet Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and deliver a speech at a symposium to mark the 150th anniversary of the US-Japan Treaty of Peace and Amity, the ministry said.

    It is Cheney's first trip to Japan since he became vice president in January, 2001.

    Japan is his first leg of the week-long Asian tour, which also includes China and South Korea. Enditem