Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida departed his country today, Wednesday, heading to France, the first stop on a six-day international tour that will also take him to Brazil and Paraguay.
According to Japan's Kyodo News Agency, Kishida stated before his departure from Haneda Airport in Tokyo, "Japan looks forward to playing a leading role in establishing and enhancing a free, fair, and rules-based international economic system."
Kishida is scheduled to deliver a speech tomorrow, Thursday, at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, addressing various issues including climate change and international regulations for artificial intelligence.
He will then hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron before heading to Brazil.
His visit to Latin American countries comes as Japan seeks to deepen relations with emerging and developing nations.
On Friday, Kishida will separately meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to discuss ensuring a rules-based global order and addressing other challenges.
Japanese government officials noted that Brazil has about 2.7 million people of Japanese descent, and Kishida is likely to engage in discussions with the community members in Brasília and São Paulo.
They further stated that the Japanese prime minister will deliver a speech next Saturday on Japan's foreign policies toward Latin America and the Caribbean region.
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