KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be on a three-day official visit to Japan, with scheduled bilateral talks with Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi.
The Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said that Anwar, at the invitation of the Japanese government, will be in Japan from Monday (June 8) for three days.
He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, and Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.
The leaders are expected to discuss bilateral and international issues including the situation in the Middle East and confirm cooperation across a wide range of areas, including security and the economy.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru told a news conference on Tuesday (June 2) that Japan and Malaysia have built strong ties as comprehensive strategic partners, sharing fundamental values and principles.
He said the ties with Malaysia are important for the realisation of an updated free and open Indo-Pacific.
He expressed hope that friendly relations between the two countries will deepen further.
The meeting will be the first for the two leaders since October last year.
Takaichi visited Kuala Lumpur and met leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations shortly after she took office.
Anwar is also scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the 31st Nikkei International Conference on the Future of Asia on June 10.
He is expected to open the conference’s main session at 9.40am local time (8.40am Malaysian time).
The conference, themed “Working together for a more resilient and prosperous Asia,” with the talks themed “Where Great Minds Shape Tomorrow”, brings together political leaders, business executives and international experts to discuss Asia’s economic outlook, geopolitical developments and future growth.
Other speakers include Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta and other country leaders and representatives.
AloJapan.com