Kishida Leaves for Tour of Europe, Canada, U.S.

Tokyo, Jan. 9 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida left for a seven-day tour of European countries, Canada and the United States on a government jet from Tokyo International Airport at Haneda in the early hours of Monday.

In preparation for the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, western Japan, in May, Kishida will hold talks with leaders of all G-7 partner nations but one.

The prime minister will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday. It will be the first time for Kishida to visit Washington since he took office in October 2021.

He will return to Japan on Sunday.

Ahead of his departure, Kishida told reporters at the prime minister's official residence on Sunday evening, "I hope to have candid, heart-to-heart talks with my G-7 counterparts and further deepen personal relationships of trust."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]