The 2 leaders held a conference call for about 30 minutes on Tuesday morning, Japan time, to exchange views about Syria. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also took part in the conversation.

Japanese officials said Obama claimed the US has clear evidence that the government of President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons. Obama told Abe it is important that the international community send a unified and clear signal about international norms against the use of chemical and other weapons of mass destruction.

Obama said he wants to work closely with key countries such as Japan to solve the Syrian crisis.

Abe replied that it is very likely chemical weapons were used in Syria. He said humanitarian concerns dictate that such weapons must never be used.

Abe said responsibility for the worsening situation in Syria lies with the country's government, which ignores humanitarian factors.

Abe said he takes Obama's stance seriously and that he will closely watch the debate in the US Congress concerning Syria.

Suga told reporters that the 2 leaders will not hold official talks at the G20 summit in Russia later this week. He said they held the conference call because their schedules could not be adjusted so that they could have enough time to meet at the summit.

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This news was published on September 3, 2013.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130903_27.html