Bandar Seri Begawan - The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Fumio Kishida, will visit the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Australia from January 9 to 14.

On January 10, Minister Kishida is scheduled to meet with Mr Albert F Del Rosario, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, in Manila. Minister. Kishida is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Mr Benigno S Aquino III, the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Meanwhile on January 11, he is scheduled to meet with Mr K Shanmugam, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law of the Republic of Singapore, in Singapore. He will also pay a courtesy call on Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore.

He will then visit Brunei from January 11 to 12, whereby he is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office. He will too meet with His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

As on January 13, he is scheduled to meet with Senator the Hon Bob Carr, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia in Sydney.

These visits offer an opportunity for close communication with each country at foreign ministerial level, which will strengthen the bilateral relations in a wide range of areas.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin