In talks set to be held in Tokyo on Monday with Najib Razak, his Malaysian counterpart, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to pitch shinkansen bullet train technology for a planned high-speed train system between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for which China and France are among rivals.
Abe also plans to offer increased assistance to the Malaysian Coast Guard as Beijing steps up territorial claims in the South China Sea, most recently by building artificial islands in waters contested with Southeast Asian states such as Malaysia and the Philippines, according to a Japanese official.
During a three-day visit to Japan through Tuesday, Najib will have an audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace on Monday, take a shinkansen ride Tuesday from Tokyo to Sendai, and attend other events, the official said.