Blair pressed over role in Kyoto treaty

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Leading article: Britain should welcome a man who holds the key to a richer, greener future

The Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, arrives in London today after a summit meeting with the US President, George Bush, in which the two failed to make any clear progress in saving the Kyoto global warming treaty.

Japan has set itself the task of dissuading Mr Bush from abandoning the Kyoto Protocol, in contrast with European leaders who have vowed to ratify it, with or without the Americans. But despite warm words for the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Bush showed no signs of changing his position.

In Japan, Mr Koizumi described the American as "deplorable", but face to face with Mr Bush he was noticeably gentler. At a press conference he said he was "not disappointed at the president's position". Later, he said: "This issue of global warming will have a grave impact, not just on the global environment but on the fate of humankind. I still have hope that the US will adhere to Japanese views."

The global environment network WWF urged Tony Blair yesterday to press the Japanese to ratify the Kyoto treaty. Dr Ute Collier, head of WWF-UK's Climate Programme, said: "[He] could play a pivotal role in bringing the Japanese on board.

"This meeting must be used as an opportunity to stress to Prime Minister Koizumi that, even without the US, the Kyoto Protocol is the only way forward in the mammoth fight against climate change." Mr Koizumi will have lunch with Mr Blair today, before travelling to Paris to meet the French President, Jacques Chirac.