Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will visit Japan in early April to meet with Prime Minister Taro Aso, the country's visiting energy minister, Rafael Ramirez, said Thursday.

Ramirez announced Chavez's planned visit when speaking to reporters after meeting with Aso at the prime minister's office in Tokyo.

Ramirez told Aso that Chavez is looking forward to visiting Japan in the near future, a Foreign Ministry official said.