German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe address a press conference following talks in Berlin, Jan. 10, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Wu Xiaoling) Photo Gallery >>>

    BERLIN, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks on Wednesday with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is on a four-nation trip to Europe.

    They were expected to focus on international cooperation, energy and Germany's rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) and the Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations. Germany took over the helm of both the EU and the G8 on Jan. 1.

    Each country's bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council was also to be covered.

    Abe, who flew in from London Wednesday, is scheduled to meet with German President Horst Koehler and visit the Pergamon Museum in Berlin before flying to Belgium on Thursday.

    This is Abe's first visit outside Asia since he replaced Junichiro Koizumi as prime minister. He will wrap up his five-day visit in Paris on Saturday.