Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. (Photo: Kyodo/VNA)

The official made the remark at a press conference in Tokyo on April 28, during which he announced that PM Kishida would visit Viet Nam on April 30 and May 1.

During the visit, the Japanese PM is scheduled to hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh on May 1. In addition, he will also have meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Apart from Viet Nam, on his foreign trip starting from April 29, Kishida will visit two other Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia (from April 29 to 30) and Thailand (from May 1 to 2). After that, he will travel to Italy and the UK, before returning to Japan on May 6. This will be the PM's first long overseas trip since taking office last October.

Kishida’s upcoming visit to Southeast Asia aims to strengthen cooperation with the three countries toward a free and open Indo-Pacific region and to increase the coordination of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).