U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis plans to visit Japan and South Korea next week in a demonstration of Asia's importance to the administration of President Donald Trump, officials from the two allies said Tuesday.
Mattis is expected to be the first Cabinet member of the Trump administration to visit Japan since the Republican's inauguration Friday.
The Pentagon chief plans to meet with Defense Minister Tomomi Inada on Feb. 3 after paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the previous day, according to the officials.