SINGAPORE: Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi Toshimitsu will make a three-day official visit to Singapore from Wednesday (Aug 12).
He will call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana and be hosted to lunch by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Tuesday.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThis will be Mr Toshimitsu's first official visit to Singapore as foreign minister.
It comes after Japan announced last month that it will proceed with discussions on the resumption of essential travel with 12 places, including Singapore.
[h=3]READ: Singapore will 'work closely' with Japan to make progress on resuming essential travel: MFA[/h]"Singapore welcomes the Japanese government’s decision to include Singapore as one of its partners to commence such negotiations," MFA had said on Jul 23.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIt added then that the establishment of a "reciprocal green lane" between the two countries will be an important step towards restoring connectivity and facilitating essential business and official travel, with the necessary public health safeguards.
After his visit to Singapore, Mr Toshimitsu will visit Kuala Lumpur from Aug 14 to 15.
In a press release on the visits, Japan's foreign ministry noted that Singapore and Malaysia formed new Cabinets in July and March respectively.
The ministry said there will be exchanges of views on the resumption of travel with Japan, as well as discussions on COVID-19 measures and regional developments.
In Malaysia, Mr Toshimitsu will meet the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hishammuddin Hussein and Minister of International Trade and Industry Mohamed Azmin Ali, said Japan's foreign ministry.
Later this month, Mr Toshimitsu will also visit Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar from Aug 20 to 25.
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