French President Emmanuel Macron embarked on an Asian tour tonight that will take him to Japan and South Korea, two countries with which he intends to strengthen cultural and economic ties through partnerships and investments, French media reported.
On the trip, which will keep him away from Paris for almost a week, he will be accompanied by a large delegation made up of five ministers – including Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin and Culture Minister Catherine Pegar, as well as numerous businesspeople.
Macron is expected to be in Tokyo starting tomorrow for a two-day official visit, his fourth since taking office. He will meet with new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and have lunch with Emperor Naruhito.
A state visit to South Korea is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, when the French president will meet with his counterpart Lee Jae-myung, pay tribute to Korean War veterans, speak to students and open the Pompidou Center in Seoul, a building designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmot.
The economic component features prominently in the program of Macron’s visit, with the president participating, in each country, in economic forums designed to foster partnerships and investments in future-oriented sectors such as civil nuclear energy, decarbonization and artificial intelligence.
Around 60 cooperation agreements are expected to be signed, including a joint statement with Japan on the civil use of nuclear energy, the Elysee Palace said.
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AloJapan.com