Clinton emphasizes softer image

Asian tour allows her to signal break from Bush's approach

The Bush administration's sympathy on the abductees issue left Japanese leaders disconcerted when it struck a deal with North Korea on its nuclear program, leading the U.S. to remove the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism last year.

In their meeting, the families urged Clinton to return North Korea to that list as a means of pressuring the regime to provide information on what happened to their loved ones. But American officials said Clinton, though sympathetic, made no commitments.

Also yesterday, Clinton signed an agreement after a meeting with Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone to move 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam.

She dined with Prime Minister Taro Aso and met briefly with Ichiro Ozawa, leader of Japan's largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan. The meeting with the opposition was seen by some in Japan as a vote of no confidence in Aso, who has slid in the polls amid the financial crisis.

But aides said it was only part of Clinton's effort to reach out, in keeping with her insistence that she wants to do more than meet with national leaders.

"I want to listen to the voices of the people as well," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.