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.

In a speech at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Abe will express Japan's desire to play a bigger role in areas such as peace-keeping, post-conflict reconstruction assistance and disaster relief.

"Of course, while staying within the framework of the constitution, Japan must not be cowardly as it has been in the past. We are prepared to make an active contribution," Abe said in an interview on Friday at his official residence.

Close US ally Japan has already stretched the limits of its post-World War II constitution, which bans the maintenance of a military but been interpreted to allow forces for self defence.

Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, sent non-combat troops to Iraq and late last year Japan's parliament enacted legislation making overseas missions a key role of Japan's military.

Abe will also seek European support for the tough line Washington and Tokyo are taking towards Pyongyang after its missile and nuclear tests last year, and backing for efforts to resolve a dispute over Japanese abducted decades ago by Pyongyang to help train spies in Japanese language and culture.

Source: China Daily/agencies