Myanmar prodemocracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Japan on Saturday for her first trip to the country in 27 years, seeking support for her homeland's ongoing democratization and economic development through meetings with political and corporate leaders.

The 67-year-old head of the opposition National League for Democracy party was invited to visit by the Foreign Ministry in an attempt to bolster ties with the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who wields considerable influence both in Myanmar and on the world stage, officials said.

After touching down at Narita International Airport at the start of a weeklong visit, Suu Kyi in the afternoon attended a 1,800-strong gathering in Tokyo of Myanmar democracy activists based in Japan. After a rousing welcome, Suu Kyi called on her supporters to make use of all they have learned from their time in Japan for the betterment of fast-reforming Myanmar.