Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Myanmar from Friday to Sunday for talks with the country's leaders with the aim of strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday.
Abe will become the first Japanese prime minister in 36 years to visit Myanmar, which has been opening up after years of military rule. Business officials will accompany Abe in the hope of securing development project contracts.
"We will seek to further enhance Japan-Myanmar relations, which have been kept sound for a long time through (Tokyo's) support to reforms" in Myanmar, Suga said. Noting Myanmar's significant growth potential, he said, "Leaders of other countries have streamed in (to Myanmar)," indicating Japan doesn't want to miss the boat.