East Timor's Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Belo says he will consider running for president in three years time.

Bishop Belo, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 with Jose Ramos Horta for their opposition to Indonesian rule in East Timor, says his decison would depend on President Xanana Gusmao choosing not to seek re-election.

The bishop also told Portuguese state broadcaster RDP he would consider whether he had sufficient popular support to mount a successful campaign for office.

However, he says if the Vatican felt he should not run he would not become a candidate. Bishop Belo stood down as Bishop of Dili in Novemebr 2002, citing health reasons.

A poll carried out last year in East Timor found that more than 80 per cent of the population would like to see Bishop Belo run for president.

Gusmao in Japan

President Gusmao is visiting Japan where he urged the government to continue help rebuilding the world's youngest nation, following more than two decades of fighting for independence from Indonesia.

Arriving in Tokyo on a four-day visit, President Gusmao said Japan had built schools, hospitals and job-training facilities. In 1999, Japan pledged $US130 million in aid with an additional $60 million on offer from 2002 to 2005.

Apart from the monetary contribution, the East Timor leader said Tokyo had sent up to 600 ground troops to East Timor since 1999 as part of a United Nations mission to build bridges and roads.

Last week, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan presented a report to the UN Security Council to extend the global body's support mission for one more year.