President Obama kicked off a nine-day trip to Asia with a visit to Japan, where the newly elected prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, is seeking a more "equal partnership" with the U.S. and the closing of an unpopular Marine base in Okinawa.

Tokyo has been America's key ally in Asia since the end of World War II, but must now cope with China's continuing rise as a regional and global power. By next year, China could eclipse Japan as the world's second largest economy.

And, on this trip, the president will spend three days in China and just 24 hours in Japan. President Obama sought to reassure Japan's new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama.

"The United States is a Pacific nation, and we will be deepening our engagement in this part of the world." - President Barack Obama

"As time changes and as the international environment changes, there is a need for us to further develop and deepen the U.S.-Japan alliance to make it an even more constructive and future-oriented alliance." - Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama

1. Where is Japan?

2. What is Japan's relationship with the United States? Economic? Political? Military strategy?

3. Why is Asia important for the United States?

1. What did you learn from this video?

2. How is the new Japanese prime minister changing the relationship with the United States?

3. What was America's relationship with Japan before, during and after World War II?