TOKYO : Mubarak to Asia

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is scheduled to arrive Monday on a weeklong visit to Japan and China in an attempt to bring the two Asian powerhouses into the Middle East peace fold, although the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa leaves in question who will greet him in Tokyo.

Mubarak’s last trip to China was cut short more than a year ago by the major earthquake that struck Cairo. This time, Mubarak will be pushing his campaign for an end to weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East--China is a supplier of missiles to the region--and urging Japan to join in financial support for Palestinian self-rule in Jericho and the Gaza Strip.