PM Anwar arrives in Japan for five-day working visit

TOKYO, Dec 15 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Tokyo Friday night for a five-day working visit.

Anwar’s plane from Kuala Lumpur touched down at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport at 11.40 pm local time. He is accompanied by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

After disembarking from the plane, Anwar and Dr Wan Azizah were given a red carpet welcome with both greeted by Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany and Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasushi Hosaka.

Anwar is accompanied by two Cabinet ministers, namely the newly appointed Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

Several senior government officials will also be joining Anwar and his delegation. 

On Saturday, Anwar will have a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida and later chief executives of major corporations and captains of industry.

On Sunday, Anwar will join his ASEAN counterparts – among others Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Thailand’s Srettha Thavisin, Singapore’s Lee Hsien Loong, Vietnam’s Ph Minh Chính, Cambodia’s Hun Manet, and Philippine President Ferdinand  Marcos Jr – at the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit.

The summit marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation which highlights the strategic relationship between Japan and much of Southeast Asia represented by ASEAN.

On Monday, Anwar will attend the Asia Zero Emission Community Summit and meet the Malaysian diaspora later in the day before wrapping up his visit.