Q+A: Obama's first presidential tour of Asia

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama leaves on Thursday on his first Asian tour since becoming president on January 20.

Here are some questions and answers about his travels and issues that might come up at each stop:

WHY IS OBAMA GOING TO JAPAN?

Obama's November 13-14 visit should address uncertainties about how the staunch U.S. ally will relate to Washington under new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who has vowed to deepen Asian ties and steer a diplomatic course more independent of Washington.

Many Japanese also wonder if historic rival China's growing economic and military clout will affect relations between Washington and Tokyo, which mark the 50th anniversary of their security alliance next year. Obama picked Tokyo for a major address on the U.S. relationship with Asia.

One touchy issue is the future of a U.S. air base on Okinawa, which protesters want off the island and Washington wants moved to a different part of it. The issue threatens to stall a realignment of the 47,000 U.S. troops in Japan and sour defense ties. Obama is not expected to address the matter publicly, but is seen keeping to a hard U.S. line privately.

Washington also wants Japan to contribute to its war in Afghanistan somehow, after Hatoyama said he would not renew a mandate for Japanese ships on an Indian Ocean refueling mission in support of the conflict.

Japan will also seek, and receive, assurance that Obama will keep North Korea's nuclear ambitions as a U.S. priority. Most of Pyongyang's Rodong missiles can hit most of Japan.

WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA IN SINGAPORE?

The global economic crisis and trade will be the main themes for Obama in Singapore November 14-15, when he will attend a summit of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping expected to keep up stimulus policies and push for a global trade deal next year.

U.S. senators are urging Obama to pursue a broader trade deal in the fast-growing region that would build on existing pacts with Singapore, Peru, Chile and Australia but, hampered with domestic political challenges, he is not expected to do much on this trip to achieve that goal.

Obama will also meet with leaders of the 10 nations that make up ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with which he has also been urged to launch trade talks.

A delicate political issue with ASEAN is the involvement of Myanmar, whose military government is shunned by the West over its poor rights record. But the Obama administration said in September it would pursue deeper engagement to try to spur reform and this month saw Washington's highest-level visit to the country in 14 years.

High officials from Myanmar are due to attend the ASEAN-U.S. meeting.

WHAT WILL COME OUT OF SHANGHAI AND BEIJING?