Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Turkey from Friday to Tuesday and the Philippines and Malaysia from Wednesday to Nov. 23 for a series of economic and regional summits, the government said.
He plans to attend the two-day Group of 20 summit starting Sunday in Antalya, Turkey, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in Manila from Wednesday to Thursday, and the Nov. 21 to 22 summits sponsored by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur, it said.
"At the G-20 and APEC, Prime Minister Abe plans to speak about Japan's initiatives for handling global challenges and promoting economic partnership in the Asia-Pacific region while explaining programs in the second stage of Abenomics," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday, referring to Abe's radical deflation-fighting economic policy mix.
"At the ASEAN-related summits, leaders plan to exchange views on strengthening the East Asia Summit, as well as regional affairs including the South China Sea issue," Suga said at a news conference.
"Prime Minister Abe will explain our country's initiatives in addressing various challenges in the region," the top government spokesman said.
Abe will start his Turkey trip with a visit to Istanbul. On Friday evening local time, Abe plans to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the Foreign Ministry.
After flying to Antalya on Saturday, Abe plans to meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later in the day and have a separate meeting with European Union leaders on Sunday, the ministry said.
The ministry is arranging other bilateral meetings in Antalya, Manila and Kuala Lumpur, officials said.