Kerry to travel to Japan, Indonesia for meetings

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Japan next week for a security meeting before joining President Barack Obama in Bali for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation economic meeting, the State Department said on Thursday. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is also attending the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting in Tokyo on October 2-3, according to the department. U.S. and Japanese leaders met on security in June 2011 in Washington, and next month's meeting is another "opportunity to build on our already broad and comprehensive bilateral relationship," State Department Jen Psaki said in a statement. At APEC, Kerry will meet with officials from APEC-member economies starting on October 4 before concluding his Asia trip on October 7, the department said. The annual economic forum comes as the United States and 10 other countries work to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, which some experts say could see an agreement at the Indonesia gathering. The TPP talks include Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Susan Heavey; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Xavier Briand)