Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to visit Myanmar in late May for talks with President Thein Sein with the aim of accelerating Japanese efforts to promote economic development and democratization there, an official said.
It will be the first time in around 36 years for a Japanese prime minister to visit Myanmar. The last was Takeo Fukuda in August 1977.
Abe hopes his visit, likely to be May 25 and 26, will help counter Beijing's influence in Myanmar, which grew during its years of long isolation under military rule, the official said.