Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stopped at several memorials in Hawaii, one day before he is scheduled to visit Pearl Harbour during a trip intended to demonstrate a strong alliance between his country and the United States.  

He will be the first Japanese leader to stop at Pearl Harbour, but does not plan to apologise for the 1941 surprise air raid which killed almost 3,000 Americans and brought the US into the second world war.

Rather, his purpose is to send a message that the pact between former foes Japan and the US is firm.

The trip is tagged as a 'bookend' to Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima - where he became the first American President to stop at the target site of the world's first atomic bombing.

In a whirlwind tour - ahead of the much-anticipated stop - Abe laid a wreath at the armed forces memorial.

He also signed a guestbook before stopping at the grave of former US Senator Daniel Inouye - a decorated World War Two veteran of Japanese descent.

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